Mil News Hoon to announce Iraq troop move

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Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon is expected to announce shortly that the UK will agree to a US request for the redeployment of British troops in Iraq.
He is due to make a statement to the House of Commons at 1315 BST.

But there is so far no word on the timescale for the troop move, nor which units will be involved.

Previous reports suggested about 650 soldiers from the Black Watch regiment would move from their base in southern Iraq to near the capital Baghdad.

Prime Minister Tony Blair's spokesman said the Cabinet had given its support to the move, in part to help secure looming Iraqi elections.

"There was unanimous support from the Cabinet for the troops and their commanders on the ground and respect for their judgments," he said.

"And [there was] a determination that the Government should do all it can to help in the process of bringing about free elections in January, to help finish the job we started out to do."

Redeploying UK soldiers to an area south-west of the Iraqi capital would free US troops for an anticipated assault on insurgent-held Falluja.

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