The Queen's Dragoon Guards have invaded south Iraq

Light tanks from the Welsh Cavalry are believed to have joined helicopter gunships and Royal Marines in the operation.

The Queen's Dragoon Guards, which is largely made up of Welsh soldiers, were part of the force reported to have halted the Iraqi tanks.

The Iraqi units are thought to have been trying to move south to the Al Faw Peninsula.

Troops of the Guards - known as the Welsh Cavalry - are also building prisoner-of-war camps in southern areas of the country.

Meanwhile, the brother of the first Welsh soldier to be killed in the war in Iraq has been flown home to be with his family.

Lance Bombardier Llywelyn Evans, 24, was one of 12 British and American servicemen who died when a helicopter carrying them crashed near the Iraq border on Friday.

Lance Corporal Llywelyn Evans died on Friday

His younger brother Lee is also in the Royal Artillery and was fighting in the Gulf but has now returned home to Llandudno in north Wales.

Llywelyn Evans was serving in 29 Commando Royal Artillery, attached to 3 Commando Brigade, Royal Marines.

He had been making plans to marry his fianc�e next year.

His father Gordon praised his bravery and said his family would always be proud of him.

Special prayers were said in Llandudno on Sunday in remembrance of Lance Bombardier Evans.

'Doubts'

On Monday, Prime Minister Tony Blair's addressed the House of Commons, saying there would be dark days ahead in the conflict.

Reacting to this speech, the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Lembit Opik said he expected the forces to suffer more losses.

"Iraq has made it quite clear the real fighting is going to be street fighting in the cities," he said.

Protesters targeted RAF Valley on Anglesey

"All of us want the war to come to an end with the minimum of casualties on either side," added the MP for Montgomery.

Elsewhere in Wales, protests against the war continue, and seven protesters chained themselves to equipment at RAF Valley, Anglesey, as part of an anti-war demonstration on Monday.

Another seven chained themselves together across the main entrance to the base, preventing vehicles from moving in or out.

RAF officials cut the chains and carried the protesters outside the base - no arrests were made.

A spokesperson for Cymdeithas y Cymod - the Fellowship for Reconciliation - said the protest was aimed at RAF Valley because pilots were trained there to fly on combat missions to Iraq.