An expansion of Britain's role in Iraq, including more troops, was set to be made after the Spanish government's decision to withdraw its 1,300-strong force from the country, the British Times newspaper reported on Monday.

According to the paper, senior defense officials have drawn up a complex series of options for Britain's role to be expanded.

They range from sending another 1,500 to 2,000 troops to fill the gaps left by the Spanish to taking over command of a second multinational division in central south Iraq which would significantly raise Britain's military and political stake in the country, the paper said.

There were fears that the expansion would be sending British soldiers into hotspot cities such as Najaf, base of cleric Moqtadaal-Sadr, whose militia has launched an uprising against the US-ledoccupation, the paper added.

On the report, a spokeswoman for the British Ministry of Defense told reporters that Britain was discussing a "range of options" with coalition partners in light of Iraq's security situation and the anticipated withdrawal of the Spanish troops.

"Troop numbers is one of the things we will be discussing," shesaid, but stressing that no decisions had yet been made.

Britain, the staunchest US ally on Iraq, is now deploying about8,000 troops in southern Iraq.

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw told the BBC last week that British troop numbers were under review, saying more troops would be sent to Iraq if that proved necessary.

However, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said last Thursday that his government saw no plans to send extra troops to Iraq.

The speculation of more British troops setting for Iraq followsfurther violence in the country which spread to Basra, where a series of suicide bombings blamed on al Qaida killed 74 and injured hundreds, including five British soldiers.

Source: Xinhua