U.K. Ends Its Combat Role In Iraq

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Thursday that U.K. forces have ended their combat operations in Iraq.

Brown said British combat patrols in Basra will end as the troops prepare to leave the country.

He made the announcement Thursday after meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in London.

The Iraqi leader said his forces were "ready" to take over responsibility for security in Basra.

It was not immediately clear how many British forces were likely to remain in Iraq in support and training roles.

Meanwhile, in Basra, the British military held a ceremony to honor the 179 British soldiers who died during the war.

The official end of Britain's combat role comes during a spike in violence in Iraq.

Two car bombs tore through a crowded commercial district in Baghdad's main Shiite district on Wednesday, killing at least 41 people, Iraqi police said.

The blasts went off in quick succession less than a week after bombings claimed more than 150 lives over a two-day span. The attacks have raised fears that suspected Sunni insurgents are regrouping and trying to reignite sectarian strife as the U.S. military begins its own withdrawal.