Losses of allies increase

The command of the British armed forces in Iraq was recognized by the fact of the death of one of their soldiers in a battle near the city of Ez-Zubair, located between the Basra and the border with Kuwait.

"We confirm that the British soldier died during a military operation at the village of Ez -Zubair in the south of Iraq," Reuters reports a representative of the British group command in Qatar.

From the beginning of the operation in Iraq, in addition to this soldier, 16 British have already died - 14 in two catastrophes of helicopters and two pilots of the Tornado fighter -bomber, shot down by mistake by the American Patriot missile system.

In addition, Iraqi forces captured two British troops on Monday.

According to BBC television company on Monday, their car was ambushed, which was arranged by Iraqi units defending the city of Zubair south of Basra.

The official representative of the British command by the group of ground forces in Iraq, Marcus Divil, confirmed by the phone of RIA Novosti the fact of the disappearance of the two military personnel of Great Britain south of Basra. According to him, measures are currently being taken to search for them.

During the war in the Persian Gulf in 1991, 18 British troops were killed - 9 in battles and 9 fell under the fire of their own units.

The number of dead British troops over five days of battles in Iraq reached 17.

The death of two pilots-bomber Tornado fighter

On March 22, two British pilots of the Tornado fighter-bomber were killed. Their plane was shot down by mistake by the American Patriot missile over the Iraq-Kuwait border, when he returned after completing the assignment over the territory of Iraq.

6 dead British in a clash of helicopters over the Persian Gulf

Two helicopters of the Navy Sea King brand forces of the anti -Irac coalition suffered a catastrophe over the Persian Gulf on Saturday. Seven crew members died. This information came from the headquarters of the British Air Force in El Kuwait.

Representatives of the British army say that helicopters were not shot by Iraq. Details of the incident are specified. The incident occurred in international waters

8 British died as a result of the SEA Knight helicopter disaster

In the disaster of the American CH-46 helicopter in Kuwait, which occurred on the second day of the war in Iraq at about 3:00 Moscow time south of the Umm-Kasra, eight British and four American troops were killed.

The helicopter of the Sea Knight Marine Corps returned to the base after completing a combat mission in Iraq. According to the United States, the cause of the accident was technical problems

Iraqi television showed two Apache helicopter pilots

On Monday, late in the evening, Iraqi television showed a video with two American pilots of the Apache Longbow helicopter, which was shot down earlier in the afternoon , AFP reports.

Thus, the Iraqis confirmed their statement that they captured two American pilots on Monday.

Earlier, Iraqi television showed shots that indicate that the Iraqis somehow managed to capture the American Apache Longbow attack helicopter. According to CNN, this happened 80 km south of Baghdad in the area of ​​the city of Karbela.

According to the Minister of Information of Iraq Muhammad al-Sahhaf at a press conference in Baghdad, Iraqi peasants shot down two helicopters. Only one is shown on the film, and the second and photographs of the two captures of the pilots of As-Sahhaf promised to show later.

The United States confirmed that one Apache helicopter was lost. The two members of the crew of the Apache hovered in Iraq are officially listed “missing,” said General Tommy Franks on Monday at a briefing in Doha (Qatar). According to him, from 30 to 40 American helicopters participated in the operation against Iraqi troops near Baghdad.

On Monday, 6 members of the Iraqi party "Baas" were killed

On Monday, Iraqi television reported that during the battles with the army of the allies, En-Nassiria died 6 members of the ruling Iraqi Baas party. It is reported by Reuters.

"The Arab Socialist Party" Baas "announces that six of its members, among whom were one policeman, died the death of the martyrs during a battle with the American and British troops near En -Nasiria," the party said. Details of their death are not reported.

Iraq claims that two Americans were killed on Monday and one was captured

During the battles for the cities of the Basra and Nasiria in the south of Iraq, 13 American and British tanks were destroyed, two US army soldiers were killed, one American corporal was captured, RIA Novosti reports. This information was distributed by Iraqi television. Representatives of the anti -Irac coalition have not yet commented on this information.

En-Nassiria has fierce battles between the Iraqi army and the occupation forces of the Allied

The units of the American marine infantrymen, with the support of artillery, continue to attack the South Iraqi city of En-Nassiria. According to Reuters correspondent, who is along with the marines in the southern part of the city, outbreaks from breaking shells are constantly observed over the En-Nassiria.

The Lebanese television channel Al-Manar said today that about 40 American soldiers were killed in En-Nasiria . Official sources have not yet commented on this information.

Recall that this fortified settlement is key from a strategic point of view. He blocks the way to the north, across the Euphrates River further to the Iraqi capital.

Earlier, the Americans have already twice unsuccessfully tried to force the river, intending to capture bridges through the Euphrates 375 kilometers southeast of Baghdad.