British forces to start withdrawal by end of next May

BASRA / IraqiNews.com: The British forces will start withdrawing from Basra by the end of next May, the undersecretary of the British defense ministry said on Tuesday. “The forces will start their withdrawal from Basra by the end of next May as a preliminary withdrawal before the complete withdrawal from Basra by the end of next July,” the British official told IraqiNews.com news agency during his visit to the Basra governor. For his part, the governor, Mohamed Musbeh al-Waeli, told IraqiNews.com news agency that his meeting with the British side tackled several issues, including encouraging investments and economic development in Basra. “The meeting also discussed the British withdrawal from the city,” he added. “The British officials vowed to continue their support to the city and to the new local government,” the governor noted. Basra is 590 km south of Baghdad. SH (P)/SR 1