After the war Basra hopes for peace

Staff photographer Karl Jeffs is greeted with a smile in the bomb-ravaged streets of the Iraqi town

• In pictures: Basra hopes for peace

I was warmly greeted by every Iraqi I met. The children, in particular, showed their enthusiasm for our presence by following us everywhere we went. And the men welcomed us with a warm smile and a shake of the hand.

Basra is now relatively safe (at the time of writing) and small businesses are beginning to sprout again.

There is still much to do. A great deal of the infrastructure has been damaged by bombs and the basic amenities we take for granted – electricity, running water, sewage disposal system – are precious services here.

The British Army is helping to restore several of these amenities.

As I took photographs of men and women, young and old, I was left with one lasting impression. There is a glimmer of hope in every eye and a smile on every face. The people of Basra hope and believe that a bright future will soon be a living present.