EUROPE
29 Jun 07. Iraq: OP TELIC. A Corporal from 2nd Bn The Royal Welsh together with two Privates from 3rd Bn The Royal Regiment of Scotland were killed by an improvised explosive device attack in the Al Amtahiya District of Basrah City on
28 Jun 07. (MoD, 29 Jun 07.) UK deaths since the start of the Campaign thus rose to 156, of whom 99 have been classified as Killed in Action and 22 as Died of Wounds sustained in action. (MoD, 29 Jun 07.)
From 1 Jan 06 to 15 Jun 07, 216 personnel were categorised as Wounded in Action and 991 were aeromedically evacuated. (MoD, 29 Jun 07.) From 1 to 15 Jun 07, the figures were eight and 37.
The number of troops in Iraq has reduced from 7,100 in March 2007 to the current total of some 5,500. (Ministerial Answer (MA), 25 Jun 07.)
Comment: An exchange in the House of Lords (27 Jun 07) revealed that the Fulton Report on Operational aspects of the detention of RN/RM personnel was classified as ‘Secret – UK Eyes Only’. As was pointed out, such a classification makes dissemination of ‘lessons learnt’ to allies impossible! (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 0726, 02 Jul 07)
25 Jun 07. Afghanistan: OP HERRICK. A Drummer (i.e. Private) from 1st Bn The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment died after his vehicle was in an explosion near Lashkar Gah on 24 Jun 07. (MoD, 25 Jun 07.) UK deaths since the start of Operations in November 2001 thus rose to 61, of whom 35 have been classified as Killed in Action and three as Died of Wounds sustained in action. (MoD, 29 Jun 07.)
From 1 Jan 06 to 15 Jun 07, 183 personnel were categorised as Wounded in Action and 474 were aeromedically evacuated. (MoD, 29 Jun 07.) From 1 to 15 Jun 07, the figures were nine and 18.
Seven of the eight major units in Afghanistan have re-deployed in less than the Army’s ‘harmony’ guidelines of 24 months between Operational tours. (MA, 26 Jun 07.)
The current deployment of UK troops in the South of Afghanistan as part of the NATO-led ISAF is planned to last until 2009. (MA, 26 Jun 07.)
Comment: Reports continued throughout the week of Afghan civilians being killed by ‘foreign Forces’. US Special Forces are frequently blamed, as is excessive aerial bombardment. UK Forces have been accused of killing at least one civilian (following the above death of a soldier on 24 Jun 07). (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 0726, 02 Jul 07)
25 Jun 07. Northern Ireland (NI): End of OP BANNER. In a Written Statement (25 Jun 07), the Armed Forces’ Minister confirmed that the MoD will only be retaining 10 core sites in NI. (At one time there were 106 military sites in NI and there were still 44 in 2005.) The MoD confirmed (26 Jun 07) that there were now about 5,600 personnel based in NI, compared with 27,000 in 1972. With the ending of OP BANNER on 31 Jul 07, a peacetime garrison of no more than 5,000 Service personnel would be based in NI.
Comment: OP BANNER is the name given for military support to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (previously the Royal Ulster Constabulary).
The peacetime garrison of 5,000 will be made up from incoming units of 19 (Light) Brigade and RAF personnel at Aldergrove. A new regional Brigade (38 (Irish) Brigade) will mainly consist of Territorial Army personnel.
(Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 0726, 02 Jul 07) (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 0726, 02 Jul 07)
01 Jul 07. Investigators from the US Department of Justice examining BAE Systems’ compliance with anti-corruption laws in its arms dealings with Saudi Arabia will find themselves scrutinising a deal that was used, with the help of the British government, as a secret tool of Saudi foreign policy. BAE said last week that the DoJ had launched a formal inquiry into the 20-year-old Al-Yamamah arms deal with Saudi Arabia. The Al-Yamamah agreement, originally signed in 1985 by the Saudi and British governments to pay for the Saudi purchase of Tornado jets, was employed to distribute Saudi oil revenues outsi