IRAQ - Violence In The South.

Three British airmen were killed on July 19 by rocket or mortar fire into their airport base in Basra. The deaths brought to 162 the total number of British service members killed since the invasion, with 33 in 2007 alone, the deadliest year for UK troops since 2003.

Shi'ite militias backed and trained by Iran's elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) regularly aim rocket and mortar fire at the airport, known as the Contingency Operating Base, and at Basra Palace in the city centre. These are the last two remaining sizeable British bases for the 5,500 UK forces in Basra.

UK brigade commander Brig. Gen. James Bashall says UK intelligence have indicated that Iran was paying Iraqis $200 for every attack on British bases. He says: "We had an attack the other day where we found at the scene a video camera which had been set up. That is often a technique that they use, they video it and once they have got the evidence, then that is what they use to get the money", referring to attacks before the latest fatal incident.

US and UK forces frequently accuse Iran of arming, funding and encouraging Shi'ite militias to attack the Americans and their allies in Iraq. Bashall said counter-measures had made the attacks "much more difficult of late" but conceded that when rocket teams fired from the densely populated city centre that "it is more difficult to counter".