Britain said today it was investigating new allegations of abuse of prisoners after receiving a complaint from the Red Cross.
The ministry of defence said a complaint had been received from the International Committee of the Red Cross about the treatment of prisoners captured after a battle on May 14th in southern Iraq.
A spokesman added that none of the detainees had injuries caused by bayonets, apparently responding to reports that British soldiers may have used bayonets following the battle near the town of Majar al-Kabir.
Britain has said 14 Iraqis died in the battle after a patrol was attacked by followers of Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.
It is investigating a total of 75 instances of deaths or injury to Iraqi civilians involving its forces since the beginning of the invasion of Iraq last year.
Yesterday it was announced that four soldiers would be prosecuted for assault and indecent assault for abusing Iraqi prisoners.
"The charges against the four include assault, indecent assault which apparently involves making victims engage in sexual activity between themselves, and a military charge prejudicing good order and military discipline," Britain's attorney general, Lord Goldsmith said.
The alleged abuse was discovered by a photo lab technician last year when a soldier just back from Iraq took his film in to be developed.