BASRA (AFX) - An Iraqi security official has accused British soldiers of shooting and wounding four Iraqis, among them police officers, in the southern port city of Basra.

The incident took place late yesterday when police "tried to stop a group of British intelligence officers in two cars wearing civilian clothes", the city council leader responsible for security matters, Hakim al-Mayahi said.

"They said 'We are British intelligence', but provided no identification," he said, adding that the cars drove off.

After a chase and as police tried to surround one of the vehicles, the occupants opened fire wounding four people, he added. British troops then arrived at the scene and helped their escape.

They made their getaway aboard a third vehicle, Mayahi added.

A British military spokesman said "there was no British military or civilian involvement in the initial incident", but he declined comment on whether British forces at any time had made use of their weapons.

In September, Iraqi police briefly detained two British soldiers working undercover in Basra before British troops forcibly released them. newsdesk@afxnews.com afp/joy

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