¡¡   LONDON, Aug. 17 (Xinhuanet) -- One British soldier has been killedand another injured when British troops fought gunbattles with Iraqi militiamen in the southern Iraqi city of Basra on Tuesday, the British Ministry of Defense (MoD) said.

    "I can confirm that one British soldier has been killed and that there are other injuries," a MoD spokesman told reporters.

    According to the MoD, details of the dead soldier would not be released until his next of kin had been informed.

    The second soldier suffered non-life threatening wounds and wasbeing treated, the MoD said.

    The latest death raised the British military death toll since the start of the Iraq war to 65.

    According to earlier reports, the fighting, which broke out between British troops and militiamen believed to be loyal to Moqtada al-Sadr, erupted as darkness fell.

    At least one militant was killed and another wounded in a series of clashes throughout Basra on Tuesday, reports said.

    Basra, where Britain is positioning more than 9,000 troops, hasbeen the scene of sporadic clashes between Iraqi militants and British forces over the past 12 days. Enditem