A BRITISH soldier has been killed and three others injured in incidents around Basra, the Ministry of Defence said today.

A BRITISH soldier has been killed and three others injured in incidents around Basra, the Ministry of Defence said today.

The soldier who died is reported to have been killed by an improvised explosive devise detonated while he was on patrol shortly after midnight local time.

One soldier suffered serious injuries and two others received minor wounds in separate incidents in the area.

The attacks came during a night of heavy fighting in the Basra region when troops were hit with bombs, rocket-propelled grenades and gunfire.

Operations involving searches resulted in a number of arrests.