Doha, Mar 26: Al-Jazeera satellite TV today, showed what it said was footage of the bodies of two British soldiers killed near the southern port of Basra and two further British troops captured by Iraqi fighters. The Qatari station showed two apparently dead bodies in blood-stained military uniforms lying on a road and in separate footage two live black men not wearing uniform. The prisoners were surrounded by men dressed in civilian clothes making the v for victory sign. The footage also showed what the station said was a downed pilotless reconnaissance plane, or drone, and destroyed military vehicles. Al-Jazeera said the footage was of “the effects of the violent battle that took place over the past two days between Iraqi and British forces in the Zubayr region near Basra city in southern Iraq”.
In London the defence ministry said it was examining the footage, but could not yet confirm that the men shown were British.
“We can't confirm anything. We are looking into it”, a defence ministry spokeswoman told a news agency.
British satellite broadcaster Sky News also screened the al-Jazeera images.
Two British soldiers were still missing today after their land rover was ambushed on Sunday by Iraqi forces with a rocket-propelled grenade in al Zubayr. Bureau Report