BAGHDAD, Aug 25: Eight Iraqis were killed and nine others wounded Sunday in US and British air strikes on civilian installations in Basra in southern Iraq, an Iraqi military spokesman said.

“The American and British criminals have committed a new odious crime against

our proud and strong people, when their warplanes pounded civilian installations in the province of Basra ... killing eight people and wounding nine others,” said the spokesman, quoted by the state INA news agency.

“Missile batteries and anti-aircraft defences took action and forced the enemy planes to flee to their bases in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait,” he said.

Basra is located about 500 kilometres (300 miles) south of Baghdad.

The spokesman added that other US and British fighters carried out raids in 17 other provinces or areas in the south throughout the day.—AFP