LONDON, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- British Defence Ministry confirmed on Wednesday that two British soldiers had been killed in Basra, southern Iraq, this month.

    One victim, from 1 Squadron, Royal Air Force Regiment, died in a small arms fire attack on Tuesday night, the ministry said. His next of kin had been informed, it said.

    The death came as the ministry named another British soldier who was killed in a separate operation in Basra on Tuesday.

    He was identified as Private Craig Barber, who was also killed in a small arms fire attack. He was the first British loss in Iraq this month.

    The latest fatality brings to 166 the number of British military deaths in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.