British forces stormed a police station in Basra in southern Iraq on Monday, rescuing prisoners on death row and killing seven Iraqi gunmen during the pre-dawn raid.

More than 1,000 British troops backed by tanks then demolished the building with explosives.

This image provided by the British Army shows the Jameat police station in Basra, Iraq, on Monday, being destroyed in an explosion by British troops.
(Russ Nolan/British Army/Associated Press)

The military called the police headquarters a symbol of oppression for the city's residents and said the unit was suspected of torturing and murdering prisoners.

Many of the 127 people rescued — all of whom were suspected criminals — were crowded together in a small cell, living in "appalling conditions," the military said.
But the Basra council has stopped co-operating with the military in protest of what the council described as an illegal raid.

Mohammed al Abadi, head of the city's council, said the Christmas Day operation was in violation of earlier agreements and the council had not been forewarned.

A British military spokesman countered that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had voiced support for the mission to destroy the station, which had allegedly been carrying out illegal activities.

Maj. Charles Burbidge said al-Maliki "made a very clear indication that he wanted the serious crimes unit to be disbanded."

The operation came days after Iraqi officers were arrested Friday on suspicions of leading death squads. The unit is also accused of being responsible for murdering both local and international troops.