WRAP UK Troop withdrawal, military convoy leaving city centre, Basra reax

• Report rights infringement
• published: 21 Jul 2015
• views: 98

1. Various of British military vehicles on Basra roads 2. British soldier pointing gun 3. British soldiers standing by military vehicle 4. Various tracking shots of British vehicles on road 5. Various exteriors of Basra's Governorate building 6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Ammar Al-Saad, resident: "I am very happy today because the British forces withdraw from the palace area here in Basra. And also I hope these forces will withdraw from Iraq and from Basra forever." 7. Wide exterior of Governorate building 8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Mahmoud Al-Bachari, local journalist: "I feel happy that (the) British army will withdraw from the centre of the city and my happiness will be full if they withdraw from all Iraq, not only from Basra. Let them let us rule our country because we have the ability, we (do) not need anyone to assist us, let us live in a new era, we are Iraqi and it's our land, not British land or American land." 9. Various of city streets 10. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Lieutenant General Mohan, commander of Iraqi operations in Basra: "We would like to inform everybody that the British troops have pulled out from the presidential palaces and we have taken them over and they are now under Iraqi army control. We told those (referring to Shiite militants) who were fighting the British troops that the Iraqi forces are now in the palaces, so they have behaved except for some simple violations.'' 11. Various of vehicles on city street STORYLINE: British soldiers continued their withdrawal from their last garrison inside the southern Iraqi city of Basra on Monday, a move that will end their permanent presence in Iraq's second largest city. Most of the remaining 500-member British force from the Basra palace were leaving the downtown site to join five thousand other personnel at an air base camp on the fringes of the city. The withdrawal means there will be no multi-national presence for the first time since the US-led invasion of 2003 and the subsequent occupation. British vehicles rumbled out of the gates of the sprawling compound after dark on Sunday and headed for the Basra international airport, about 20 kilometres (12 miles). It is Britain's last remaining base in southern Iraq. Some Basra residents told AP Television they were pleased at the withdrawal. "I hope these forces will withdraw from Iraq and from Basra forever," local resident, Ammar Al-Saad said on Monday. "I feel happy that (the) British army will withdraw from the centre of the city and my happiness will be full if they withdraw from all Iraq, not only from Basra," local journalist, Mahmoud Al-Bachari said. "Let them let us rule our country because we have the ability, we (do) not need anyone to assist us, let us live in a new era, we are Iraqi and it's our land, not British land or American land," he added. A British defence ministry spokesman, on customary condition of anonymity, said it had long been their intention to to leave the palace. Early on Monday, the commander of Iraqi Army operations in Basra, Lieutenant General Mohan, confirmed the withdrawal. "We would like to inform everybody that the British troops have pulled out from the presidential palaces and we have taken them over and are now under Iraqi army control. We told those (the Shiite militants) who were fighting the British troops that the Iraqi forces are now in the palaces, so they have behaved well except for some simple violations," Mohan said. British Defence officials said the complete withdrawal of forces from the base could be completed by Monday and confirmed US officials had been consulted. The Basra base has been used by Britain to house soldiers and diplomatic staff since 2003. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/43388614a3699b819d095003d44bfc42 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork