Soldiers from the 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers worked alongside members of the Iraqi Army's 52 Brigade, part of 14 Division, to comb areas known to be used by militants to store weapons for attacks on Iraqi and Coalition forces.
The find was made by Iraqi soldiers, further evidence of their growing capability as Major Paul Morris, Commander of X Company, First Fusiliers, explained:
"This find shows the developing expertise and co-operation between Multi-National Forces and the Iraqi Army. It marks yet another step in the move towards a safer and more peaceful Basra. I am delighted to have had the opportunity to work alongside our Iraqi counterparts for such a significant find."
This latest weapons find follows an incident on 9 June 2008 when the Iraqi Police Service, backed by the Iraqi Army, found 450kg of explosives and a large quantity of roadside bombs concealed behind the wall of a house in central Basra.
UK troops have been instrumental in delivering much improved security and stability to Basra in recent months. Around a dozen British Military Transition Teams (MiTTs) are currently working in and around Basra City with different elements of the Iraqi's 14th Division. The MiTTs, whose job is to mentor and support, are task-organised, each generally consisting of around 20-30 British soldiers from a specific Army unit.
Whether it be undertaking basic soldiering skills, conducting vehicle, house or personal searches, urban or rural patrols or specific operations, the British soldiers that make up a MiTT embedded with an Iraqi unit are able to monitor, advise and provide ongoing training for them.
In particular, Operation Charge of the Knights, an Iraqi-led initiative involving UK soldiers and the Iraqi Army, is now in its fourteenth phase and has been one of the key drivers in bringing peace and stability to the streets of Basra.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who visited Basra at the weekend, expressed his optimism about the improving situation in southern Iraq when he updated Parliament yesterday, Tuesday 22 July 2008. He said:
"In recent months conditions in Basra have shown a marked improvement. The most important development is that the improvements we have seen have been increasingly Iraqi-led. Security responsibility for 10 of 18 provinces has now transferred to Iraqi control, including all four provinces in Britain's area of operations."
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