Three UK soldiers killed in Iraq

Private Scott Kennedy, from Oakley, Dunfermline, and Private James Kerr from Cowdenbeath died when the device exploded as they patrolled in Basra. Also killed was Royal Welsh battalion member Corporal Paul Joszko, 28, from Mountain Ash, Wales. A fourth unnamed solider was seriously injured.

The soldiers died after they dismounted from their armoured Warrior patrol and came under attack in the Al Antahiya district of Basra city at about 1am local time.

They were returning from a re-supply mission to a base in Basra Palace and had stepped from their Warrior armoured vehicle when insurgents set off an improvised explosive device.

In a statement, the MoD said: "It is with deep regret that the Ministry of Defence must confirm the deaths of two soldiers from The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, and one soldier from 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh (The Royal Regiment of Wales) in Basra, southern Iraq (on Thursday) morning. Our thoughts are with the families at this most difficult time."

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said in a statement that he was "deeply saddened" to receive the "tragic news" of their deaths. "My thoughts and prayers are with the families of all the fallen soldiers, who died bravely serving their country," he said.

The soldiers were serving as part of the British contingent of multinational forces in south-east Iraq. Their deaths bring the total number of British military fatalities since the hostilities in Iraq began to 156.

Major David Gell, the MoD's spokesman in Basra, said the soldiers had only been out of their armoured vehicle temporarily. "There are times during patrols that soldiers are required to dismount to conduct routine checks and this is what happened here," he said.

The Black Watch are one of the military's oldest and most famous regiments. Following a reorganisation of the Army in 2006, the Black Watch stopped being a regiment in its own right and now forms a battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.

SNP Perth and North Perthshire MP Pete Wishart, whose constituency includes the regimental HQ of the Black Watch, said: "This is another appalling and tragic incident in Iraq and my heart goes out to the families involved ... The Black Watch has had more than their fair share in the fighting in Iraq and the regiment has taken a number of casualties. I would just like to see all the Scottish troops returned home as soon as possible and an end to the growing list of young men dying in Iraq."