British snipers have begun operating inside Basra in a
                    series of "harass and destroy" missions against Iraqi
                    paramilitaries defending the city.

                    At least four Iraqis have been shot dead so far by the
                    snipers, who are hiding in disused buildings or among
                    piles of rubble on the fringes of Basra to mount their
                    attacks.

                    Dozens more Iraqis are thought to have been killed by
                    artillery fire and bombs directed by the snipers, who are
                    also acting as forward observers for coalition forces.

                    Major Ben Farrell, the
                    commanding officer of 2
                    company of 1st Bn Irish Guards,
                    which has a nine-man team of
                    snipers working inside Basra,
                    said the use of snipers, who
                    could strike without warning,
                    was designed to shatter the
                    morale of the Fedayeen
                    paramilitaries and other troops.

                    "Our snipers are working in
                    pairs, infiltrating the enemy's
                    territory, to give us very good
                    observation of what is going on
                    inside Basra and to shoot the
                    enemy as well when the
                    opportunity arises," he said.

                    "They don't kill huge numbers, but the psychological
                    effect and the denial of freedom of movement of the
                    enemy is vast. Our snipers have done really well. What
                    they do is very brave."

                    The snipers enter Basra in Warrior armoured personnel
                    carriers, jumping out at the back and running for cover
                    while colleagues from the Irish Guards drive forward,
                    delivering distracting fire during "in and out" raids into the
                    margins of the city which British forces have carried out in
                    recent days.

                    Sgt Eddie Waring, 34, one of the Irish Guards sniper
                    team, described how he and his colleagues worked, and
                    recounted two "kills".

                    "Sometimes it's a bit hairy when we are getting to our
                    position when there are rounds and mortars coming down
                    around us.

                    "It's also a bit scary going into the buildings because they
                    haven't been cleared and we don't know if they have left
                    any booby traps for us. But once we are here they don't
                    know where we are and it feels OK. We can report back
                    on what's going on - to call in air strikes or direct artillery
                    - and if they are within range of our rifles we will shoot
                    them.

                    "I've killed two people for definite. When I got the first
                    guy they brought up a second, and when I shot him they
                    didn't send any more.

                    "I shot somebody else, but he went over a wall so I
                    couldn't see what had happened to him."

                    Sgt Waring said everyone was scared of a sniper because
                    they did not know where he was - one sniper could hold
                    back a whole regiment. "The only thing that can beat a
                    sniper is another sniper," he said. The weapon they use is
                    a British-made L96A1 rifle, which has a "first round kill"
                    range of 900 yards. It can deliver "harassing" fire, but is
                    powerful enough to scatter an enemy but not to kill over a
                    further 200 yards. Each rifle is covered in tape painted in
                    camouflage colours to minimise the chances of detection.

                    Lance Sergeant Ralph Irwin, another Irish Guards sniper,
                    who is known as "the Bull" by his colleagues, said he was
                    unfazed by either the danger, or the clinical nature of his
                    work. "People might think we are a bit crazy, but we just
                    think of it as our job," he said.

                    "There are mortars and rounds coming in, but other than
                    that, it's just like an exercise.

                    "It's the first time I have been at war, but we've got a
                    good weapon with a very accurate sight, so it's fine."

                    Amid the trauma and anxiety of combat, there is,
                    however, time for humour. Outside the bombed-out room
                    on the banks of the Shatt al-Basra waterway in which the
                    snipers are based between missions into the city, is a sign
                    put up after one operation was cancelled. "Guns for sale.
                    Hardly ever used. One careful owner. See the snipers.
                    Closing down special."

                    While the irony inevitably causes laughter among the
                    snipers' Irish Guards colleagues, the reality of their work
                    does sometimes hit home, as Major Farrell, the men's
                    commander confirms.

                    "Most of them have never been in this situation before
                    and in some cases the reality of what they are doing is
                    quite shocking," he said.

                    "They don't take lightly the requirements for them to kill
                    the enemy, but they do their job extremely well."
 

                      2 April 2003: Softly, softly is the British way to patrol
                      checkpoints

                      1 April 2003: People of Basra sense freedom

                      31 March 2003: Battle for streets of Basra

                         © Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2003.