A British soldier has been killed in action in southern Iraq. The soldier was killed in action Monday morning near the city of Basra.
The soldier becomes the first British ground combat death since war started, the British Ministry of Defense said.
The soldier was killed near Az Zubayr in southern Iraq, the ministry said.
Meanwhile, a search is underway for the two British soldiers missing in southern Iraq.The men, who are the first British soldiers to go missing in action, disappeared on Sunday.
A British military spokesman said: "I can confirm two British soldiers are reported missing following an attack on British vehicles in southern Iraq on March 23."
The two went missing in an attack on a convoy near the southern city of Basra. Search-and-rescue teams are trying to find the men, Sky News reported.
He said the convoy of vehicles had dispersed when it came under small arms fire and when they regrouped the pair's vehicle was empty. "Every effort is being made to find them," British Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon said. (Albawaba.com)
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