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British soldiers killed in the attack against the second largest Iraqi city of Basra rose to 3 on Sunday, according to the British Ministry of Defense.
The ministry said they were killed during the attack in which British troops took control of the "vast majority" of Basra, Iraqi biggest southern city with a population of more than a million.
Earlier Royal Marine Commandos joined the offensive on Basra after British tanks and armored vehicles pushed their way into the city.
British military spokesman Colonel Chris Vernon said earlier that three battle groups had entered the city.
British troops were given the task to attack and control the city in the coalition military operations in Iraq.
Britain hopes only a very small number of its troops will still be in Iraq by the end of the year, British Defense Secretary GeoffHoon told BBC television Sunday.
"We want to see British forces to come home as soon as possible," he said.
"I made clear it was a flexible force, they would be there for war fighting and for the initial period of rebuilding and reconstruction," he said.
(Xinhua News Agency April 7, 2003)
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