The British military said Wednesday some 800 Black Watch troops have begun their deployment north towards Baghdad from their base in southern Iraq. British Lt. Col. James Cowan said British troops left the southern city of Basra to head for a base located north of Hillah, about 95 kilometers (60 miles) south of Baghdad. They were accompanied by 40 U.S. Marines, he said. "British forces have just started moving this morning into the north of Hillah. They will deploy in that area and will receive their jobs in maintaining security there," he said. Associated Press Television News footage showed large flatbed trucks carrying armored British vehicles up a road through Iraq's southern desert. Nearly 800 Scottish soldiers of the First Battalion, Black Watch are to replace U.S. troops who are expected to take part in offensives against insurgent strongholds west and north of the capital. The move is part of a coalition effort to bring order to Iraq before elections in January.
