▁many ▁as ▁ 5 , 0 0 0 ▁people , ▁including ▁hundreds ▁armed ▁with ▁A K - 4 7 ▁assault ▁rif les , ▁r ans ack ed ▁Camp ▁Ab u ▁Naj i ▁immediately ▁after ▁the ▁last ▁British ▁soldier ▁had ▁depart ed ▁despite ▁the ▁presence ▁of ▁a ▁ 4 5 0 - member ▁Ira qi ▁army ▁brig ade ▁meant ▁to ▁guard ▁the ▁base . ▁The ▁lo oting , ▁which ▁last ed ▁from ▁about ▁ 1 0   am ▁to ▁early ▁evening , ▁turned ▁violent ▁at ▁about ▁no on ▁when ▁individuals ▁in ▁the ▁mob ▁shot ▁at ▁the ▁base . ▁ ▁The ▁Ira qi ▁troops ▁asked ▁the ▁province ' s ▁governor ▁for ▁permission ▁to ▁return ▁fire , ▁a ▁decision ▁the ▁British ▁military ▁highlight ed ▁as ▁evidence ▁of ▁the ▁security ▁force ' s ▁training . ▁" It ▁demonstrated ▁that ▁they ▁understand ▁the ▁importance ▁of ▁civil ian ▁prim acy , ▁that ▁the ▁government ▁– ▁and ▁not ▁the ▁military ▁– ▁is ▁in ▁charge ", ▁Bur bridge ▁said ▁in ▁a ▁phone ▁interview ▁with ▁the ▁Washington ▁Post . ▁In j uries ▁were ▁reported ▁on ▁both ▁sides , ▁but ▁no ▁one ▁was ▁killed . ▁Bur bridge ▁attributed ▁the ▁lo oting ▁to ▁economic ▁factors ▁rather ▁than ▁mal ice , ▁stating ▁" The ▁people ▁of ▁Am ar ah ▁– ▁many ▁of ▁whom ▁are ▁extremely ▁poor ▁– ▁saw ▁what ▁they ▁believed ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁bit ▁of ▁an ▁Al add in ' s ▁cave ▁inside ." ▁Res idents ▁of ▁Am ar ah , ▁however , ▁told ▁the ▁Post ▁that ▁ant ip ath y ▁toward ▁the ▁British