1,000 British deserters reported

LONDON, May 28 (UPI) -- More than 1,000 members of the British military have deserted since the start of the 2003 Iraq war, the BBC reported Sunday.

The report said 189 deserters fled this year with 377 last year and still missing. In all, official figures say, 900 have evaded capture since the Iraq war began.

The Defense Ministry claims it does not keep details on whether desertion is on the rise, but Labor MP John McDonnell told Parliament this week there had been a tripling in cases over the past three years.

The report comes as Parliament debates a law that will forbid military personnel from refusing to take part in the occupation of a foreign country.