7 BRITS HURT AS MOB RIOT

SEVEN British soldiers were hurt and two Army vehicles destroyed during a street battle with an Iraqi mob yesterday.

The fighting started after a patrol by The Light Infantry regiment tried to arrest a man who had shot at them in the village of Qalat- salik, 120 miles north of Basra.

Hundreds of angry Iraqis armed with hand grenades, machine guns and a mortar gathered. British reinforcements were called when a rocket-propelled grenade was fired at the troops and gunmen in the crowd starting shooting.

About 50 British troops were involved in the operation and seven needed medical attention though none of their injuries were serious. Three Iraqis were killed

The street battle came as the US said that its special operations snipers had killed nine suspected Taliban fighters in the Afghan mountains.

-TONY Blair is locked in a bitter row with President George Bush over British jobs in the rebuilding of Iraq. He has accused Washington of blocking contracts for UK firms in favour of American companies.

Downing Street has asked for an explanation of how contracts are awarded.

-COMMENT: Page 14

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