London, June 10, SPA -- The final withdrawal of the remaining 4,000 British troops from Iraq could be announced by the end of the year in order to step up troop levels in Afghanistan, reports said Tuesday. The BBC said discussions had begun about forces pulling out ofSouthern Iraq if the security situation continued to improve alongcurrent levels. Britain, which currently has 8,000 troops in southern Afghanistan, announced the death of its 100th soldier in the fighting last weekend, according to a report of the German news agency "DPA."--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/563918