British troops 'nearing partial pullout' from Iraq

British troops could begin pulling out from parts of Iraq in six months, according to a senior commanding officer in Basra.

British troops could begin pulling out from parts of Iraq in six months, according to a senior commanding officer in Basra.

The British army hopes to hand over two provinces to the control of Iraqi troops in the wake of this week's elections.

There are provisional plans to withdraw British soldiers from Mathuna and Misa in the spring, according to TV and newspaper reports.

But withdrawing from just those two could allow a quarter to a third of the British contingent to go home by the end of next year.

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However, suggestions of a phased withdrawal of the 170,000 UK and US forces has caused alarm in the outgoing Iraqi administration.

Major Gen Jim Dutton, the commanding officer of the multinational division based in Basra, said: "I certainly think it is realistic. I mean the sooner we can do this in many ways the better. But we have got to be sure.

"And the Iraqis wouldn't want to do it too quickly, certainly the Iraqi security forces wouldn't want to."

He told BBC2's Newsnight: "We wish to get out of this country as soon as possible when we have put in place the conditions that allow the Iraqis to continue to develop. If that is in the middle of '06 in those two provinces then that would be good. Certainly we are aiming to do it as soon as possible.

However, Hoshyar Zebari, the Iraqi foreign minister, warned a hasty exit could trigger even greater violence. "Those who advocate an early withdraw do not know what is at stake," he told the Times. "This is the time for patience. We do not need to panic."

PA