British forces vacated their base at Basra Palace in Iraq in early September 2007, relocating to a desert airbase about 11 kilometers west of the city. The Ministry of Defence described the move as an orderly step toward transferring full security responsibility to Iraqi authorities, possibly by autumn.
Most British newspapers rejected that framing. The Daily Mail called the departure "an ignominious defeat" in military history, while the left-leaning Guardian noted that Basra, once a relatively open and prosperous city, had become a battleground among three Shiite factions since British forces arrived four years earlier.
Not all coverage was entirely negative. The Times argued the pullback was the only realistic option available and that handing security to Iraqi authorities had always been the coalition's stated aim.
The Daily Telegraph urged caution against treating the move as a prelude to full withdrawal, arguing that Britain and the United States retain a moral obligation to help Iraq rebuild before any complete departure of coalition forces is considered.
Around 5,500 British troops remained stationed in and around Basra at the time, with that figure expected to fall to 5,000 before year's end. Nearly 160 British personnel had died in Iraq since the March 2003 invasion.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in September 2007, in its own words.