Rockets slammed into the British military base outside the southern Iraqi city of Basra, killing one civilian, the British Ministry of Defense announced.

It was the first such attack against the base in nearly three months.

Rockets or mortars were also fired yesterday near the giant US base in Balad 80 kilometers north of Baghdad, the US military said. There were no reports of damage or casualties.

A British military spokesman said the attack occurred about 9 pm and that one non-British foreign civilian was killed. A statement by the US-led coalition in Baghdad said the victim was a third country national, meaning not an Iraqi either.

The British spokesman said it was the first rocket attack on the airport since December. He spoke on condition of anonymity in line with military policy.

About 4,000 British soldiers remain at the Basra airport base after British forces withdrew from their base inside the city in late 2007.

Most of the British troops are due to leave Iraq along with 12,000 US troops by September as part of President Barack Obama's drawdown of forces here.