British troops need translators to help them talk to Iraqis

Five students have already been sent to areas under British control and 11 more are in the final stages of preparation, the Ministry of Defence said.

Their work includes translating documents and dealing with the public.

The MoD said they wear blue jackets and helmets to distinguish them from troops but have been warned: "There's a degree of risk inherent in working in Iraq."

Among the first batch sent to Iraq was 21-year-old Exeter University student Laura Culley, who pulled out of the final year of her Arabic degree to work in Iraq for up to six months.

Her father Andrew, a police officer, told BBC News Online he was shocked by his daughter's plans, but added: "Laura has managed to surprise me all her life".

Military jargon

The university recruitment drive started in October of last year and successful candidates began training in December.

An MoD spokesman said: "We don't have a huge number of individuals with Arabic speaking skills - it's not just the Army, it's across all three services."

Family's shock at Iraq 'gap year'

He said the scale of British involvement in Iraq meant extra interpreters were needed in addition to those recruited locally.

They have been trained in military jargon, Iraqi dialects and behaviour to prepare them.

They sleep at Basra's British military compound, in rooms with six to eight bunks, and wake at 0600 for a full Army breakfast, according to the Times

The Army's Defence School of Languages in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, is employing Iraqis to help prepare the undergraduates.

Commanding Officer Lieutenant-Colonel Anthony Rabbitt told the newspaper: "This is to make sure they know the difference between a tank and a fish tank, and what it means when you talk about armoured cars.

"Some people think an armoured car is what the Pope is driven around in."

'Pretty happy'

Miss Culley, of Weymouth, Dorset, and a female friend were approached by a civilian contractor working for the Ministry of Defence, at Exeter University's Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies.

Having had a quite a long chat with her fianc� about security out there I'm pretty happy she will be looked after and well protected Andrew Culley

Her father said she would be based near her boyfriend Captain James Marshall of the Royal Logistic Corps, who she plans to marry this summer.

Mr Culley said the advice of his future son-in-law had eased his concerns about Laura's safety.

He said: "I'm concerned as a parent obviously, but having had quite a long chat with her fianc� about security out there I'm pretty happy she will be looked after and well protected."

The MoD spokesman said there was "nothing new" about using civilians in areas of operation.

Drivers working for a private company were used to deliver supplies during the Iraq war itself, with two Kenyan men captured and paraded on television by Iraqi forces.