British forces fought a gun battle with Iraqi fighters loyal to radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadrin the southern city of Basra on Thursday, killing two militiamen, said a spokeswoman for British forces.

The fighting erupted after the British forces arrested four of Sadr's supporters in his main office in the city, said the spokeswoman, adding that the clashes lasted about 15 minutes.

No British soldiers were wounded in the clashes, she added.

(Xinhua News Agency August 6, 2004)