Britain, which has agreed to end its military mission in Iraq by July this year, will withdraw its troops based in the oil city of Basra by March-end.
The visiting British Foreign Secretary, David Miliband disclosed this on Friday.
"The British forces' withdrawal from Basra will begin on March 31, 2009, to be replaced by U.S. forces," he was quoted as saying.
Britain's support for Basra would continue, despite the troop withdrawal, he added.
During his visit to the southern Iraqi province, Miliband met with provincial governor Muhammad Musbih al-Waili.
Britain and Australia signed agreements with Iraq to stay on in Baghdad until the end of July.
Britain has the second largest military contingent in Iraq after the U.S., with around 4,100 soldiers, mainly based in Basra.
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June 12, 2026 17:14 ET Major central bank action was the focus this week in economic news. The European Central Bank became the first major central bank to move in response to the rising inflationary pressures in the backdrop of the conflict in the Middle East. In North America, the U.S. inflation and trade data as well as Canada’s central bank decision gained attention. The Chinese trade data was the main news in Asia.