Residents of the Iraqi city of Basra are continuing to celebrate following the withdrawal of British forces from the Basra Palace. Britain is expected to fully leave Basra as early as next month. British Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Sanders predicted violence in Basra would decrease after the troop withdrawal.

Lt. Col. Patrick Sanders: “By and large — and I’m reasonably optimistic here — I hope that by removing ourselves from Basra, quite a lot of the focus of violence, which is directed at us — over 90 percent of the attacks are against British forces — then Basra will become a calmer and less violent place.”

British journalist Patrick Cockburn reports that even after four years in Basra, the British military controlled few parts of the city. Security has now been handed over to the Iraqi security forces, which is largely controlled by Shiite militias. Cockburn describes Britain’s effort in Basra as one of the most futile campaigns ever fought by the British Army.