Main Story.
Two killed, four wounded in Basra shooting; some victims reportedly Britons
Monday March 06, 2006
By ABBAS FAYADH
Associated Press Writer
BASRA, Iraq (AP) Two men were burned to death in their car after a shootout with Iraqi police in this southern city Monday, and security officials said the victims were British citizens.
In London, a Foreign Office spokesman said he was aware of unsubstantiated reports of an incident involving non-Arabs.
A third person in the car, also believed to be a British citizen, was wounded and rushed away by police, said police Capt. Mushtaq Kadhim. Two Iraqi policemen and two civilians also were wounded in the shooting, he said.
Britain's Ministry of Defense said it was aware of reports of an incident in Basra and was trying to establish the veracity of the information.
A ministry spokesman said no British military personnel were involved in any incident or injured Monday.
The Foreign Office spokesman said his department was aware of ``unsubstantiated reports of an incident involving non-Arabs.''
There was no information available to suggest British diplomats were involved, the Foreign office spokesman said.
Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity, according to British government policy.
According to Kadhim, the attack occurred about 9 p.m. after a police patrol chased two suspicious cars and forced them to stop in the Jazaer neighborhood of central Basra.
As policemen surrounded the cars and asked those inside for identification, one of the vehicles sped away, Kadhim said. As the second car tried to follow, policemen opened fire, setting it on fire and killing two occupants. One person was wounded.
Shortly after the shooting and as the car was still on fire, a British military force in two armored personnel carriers and four armored jeeps appeared at the scene of the conflict, but they quickly left.
British troops are headquartered in Basra.
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