UK plans pull out of its troops from Iraq early next year

London, July 20 (PTI) British troops in Iraq might be
withdrawn as early as next year, Prime Minister Gordon Brown
has indicated, while hailing the improved security situation
in the war-torn country.

Brown who was on a day's visit to Iraq Saturday said
Iraqi forces would soon take over the Basra airport, the main
British military headquarters.

He outlined a road map for training and strengthening of
Iraqi security forces that might ultimately aid withdrawal of
UK troops before the scheduled general election in 2010.

Brown told British soldiers that they were on the final
leg of duties in Iraq. Last October, he had stated that the
troops in Iraq would be cut to 2,500 by spring, but there were
still 4,100 troops holed up at the Basra airport.

According to a report in The Observer, Brown, however,
made it clear that he would not "set any artificial
timetable."

His statement comes a day after White House announced
that the U.S. and the Iraqi authorities had agreed a "general
time horizon" for the "further reduction of U.S. combat forces
in Iraq."