British retract claim over general's capture
British commandos fighting paramilitary forces in the southeast corner of Basra claimed they had captured an Iraqi general, but defence officials in Britain later denied the claim.
"We do not have a prisoner of war of general rank," a Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said last night. It was not clear if the British were holding officers of other ranks prisoner.
British military spokesman Major Will MacKinlay said the confusion should be blamed on "the fog of war." He insisted British troops had killed a number of Iraqi officers during the fighting around Basra.