Saudis behind attacks in Basra

Telegraph:

Foreign terrorists, led by fighters from Saudi Arabia, are behind an upsurge in attacks against British troops in Basra, military sources said yesterday.

As the Army suffered the highest number of fatal attacks in a month since the invasion of Iraq in 2003, commanders on the ground are concerned at the level of sophistication and ferocity of the assaults.

...

Commanders are concerned that Saudi and other foreign fighters are co-ordinating the attacks in a "consensual environment", in which the locals will not tell the military where roadside bombs have been planted. "The concern is that support for our presence is going down," a defense source said.

There is also a strong belief, particularly among the Americans, that Iran is continuing to ferry bombs to Baghdad via Basra.

The "consensual environment" that concerns the Brits is very different from that the US is dealing with, where tips from Iraqis have significantly reduced the effectiveness of the enemy. While some UK officers have touted their skills at working with the Iraqis as superior to those f the US servicemen, the tip line is telling a different story.

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