The clashes took place in the southern city of Basra between armed men and British soldiers who were on an operation designed to find a weapons cache, according to military spokesman Major Charlie Burbridge.
Major Burbridge could not confirm the casualties but stated that the Iraqis were “members of a leading terrorist group.”
The troops were from a battalion from the 20th Armoured Brigade based in Basra. Major Burbirdge said that when the troops arrived at the suspected cache “they came under considerable fire which was countered by the troops.”
The operation was successful in discovering two tones of ammunition, grenades, explosives and rocket propelled grenades.
There were no British casualties in Tuesday’s clashes however one British soldier was killed and one wounded on Sunday in a raid near Basra.