Britain's defense ministry has launched what it calls an urgent military police investigation into alleged abuse of Iraqi prisoners caught on videotape.
A ministry statement says it condemns all acts of abuse and brutality and treats allegations of wrongdoing very seriously.
British television broadcast the videotape Sunday after it was released by the News of the World newspaper. The British soldiers are seen beating detained young Iraqi protesters with batons and kicking them. The newspaper says the tape was shot in 2004 in southern Iraq.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Sunday the incident will be fully investigated. He says the overwhelming majority of British troops in Iraq are doing a great job helping Iraq become a democracy.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.