Bas ‧ ra /ˈbæzrə/ BrE AmE
the second largest city of Iraq and the country's main port, on the Shatt al-Arab river near the Persian Gulf. It was a centre of opposition to Saddam Hussein during the first Gulf War, and after heavy fighting during the ↑ invasion of Iraq in 2003, it was under the control of British forces from 2003 to 2007.