LONDON, June 15: Britain said on Tuesday it was investigating new allegations of abuse of prisoners after receiving a complaint from the Red Cross.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said a complaint had been received from the International Committee of the Red Cross about the treatment of prisoners captured after a battle on May 14 in southern Iraq.

"We can confirm that a complaint has been received from the ICRC in relation to the way internees were treated between the point of arrest and arrival at the internment facility," he said.

He added that none of the detainees had injuries caused by bayonets, apparently responding to reports that British soldiers may have used bayonets following the battle near the town of Majar al-Kabir.

Britain is investigating a total of 75 instances of deaths or injury to Iraqi civilians involving its forces since the beginning of the invasion of Iraq last year. -Reuters