British troops ended six years of combat operations in Iraq on April 30, beginning to withdraw from the southern city of Basra after a bloody and costly mission that was deeply unpopular at home. Prime Minister Gordon Brown praised his military's accomplishments and sacrifices, speaking after meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki at Brown's Downing Street office in London.

"Today marks the closing chapter of the combat mission in Iraq," Brown said, adding that Britain's remaining 3,700 troops had begun to leave their base on the outskirts of Basra.

Since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, 179 British service personnel have been killed in Iraq. In Basra, the British military held a ceremony to honor those who died — reading aloud the names of all of those killed.

Brown, who supported predecessor Tony Blair's decision to join the invasion, defended Britain's military mission, saying it had helped to bring new opportunities for Iraq's people.