London- On Sunday the Defence Ministry Spokesman had declined to send troops to Fallujah and Baghdad but Blair changed his decision quickly on Tuesday and decided to accede to the US request and agreed to send troops for the first time to insurgency-hit areas near Baghdad after saying it had a "duty" to help an ally.

Blair feels that British redeployment from southern Iraq would be aimed at helping Britain's US ally defeat the insurgency raging in Iraq's Sunni Muslim heartland and pave the way for democratic elections there in January.

It is felt by the Britain that the prospect of a British redeployment from more peaceful southern areas raised fears not only for higher casualties but also that Britain is becoming more deeply involved in a war that is increasingly unpopular.

While giving his comments, Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon said that a reconnaissance team has been assigned the job on Tuesday to study the area for redeployment and that chief of the defence staff, General Michael Walker, is likely to make his recommendation in the middle of the week.

He added "assess the area where British forces might be deployed to if we agree to this American request", Hoon told the BBC, adding that the team would report back to the army chiefs who will then advise ministers on what decision is to be taken.

According to AFP, around 650 British troops from the Black Watch regiment were ready to be deployed in the volatile towns of Iskandariya and Latifiya, just outside Baghdad, freeing up US forces based there to fight in Fallujah.

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