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« on: March 29, 2008, 11:11:11 PM » |
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SAS trooper shot dead in al-Qa'eda raid
By Thomas Harding, Defence Correspondent
Last Updated: 2:53am GMT 27/03/2008
An SAS trooper has been killed during a raid on a high-level al-Qa'eda leader in Iraq.
Sadr orders Iraq PM out of Basra
The soldier, who under Ministry of Defence policy will never be named, died from a gunshot wound during a covert operation to detain a terrorist in the Baghdad area.
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It is believed the trooper from 22 Special Air Service Regiment was part of a troop of Special Forces who were carrying out the raid at the al-Qa'eda leader's base.
A firefight broke out as the soldiers broke into the location and the soldier, who was wearing body armour, was killed in the exchange of gunfire.
It is not known whether the al-Qa'eda target was killed or arrested.
Defence sources said the operation was unrelated to the current uprising by Shi'ite in Sadr City in Baghdad, defence sources said.
The SAS, which has a squadron permanently stationed in Baghdad, work alongside their American counterparts to hunt down terrorist and insurgent leaders throughout Iraq.
Eight SAS troops have now been killed in Iraq, which, given the small number of soldiers in the regiment, means it proportionately has suffered the greatest number of fatalities out of any British unit in Iraq.
But the dead man is only the second SAS soldier to have been killed in action after four were killed in air crashes and two in a road accident.
The death brings the total number of British troops killed in Iraq to 176.
Under new MoD guidelines, which were introduced at the request of the Director of Special Forces, the SAS soldier will be guaranteed anonymity even in death.
SAS commanders and families were said to be annoyed that while they were forced to keep absolute secrecy in life, it was unacceptable for their families to face possible media intrusion if the troops' names were published.
Coroners are now likely to refer to all Special Forces members as Soldier A or Marine B at future inquests.
In a statement the MoD said: "It is with deep regret that the MoD must announce the death of a British soldier in Iraq.
"The soldier's family have been informed, and have asked for privacy from the media as they come to terms with their loss. The MoD will not be providing any further updates in line with the wishes of the family, who are in our thoughts at this difficult time."
RIP Mate you done good
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