London- Sending British soldiers into battle with faulty equipment could amount to a breach of their human rights, the High Court in London ruled in a test case Friday.

The government immediately said it would appeal against the ruling, which related to the death from a heatstroke of a British soldier in Iraq in 2003.

Lawyers for the Ministry of Defence (MoD) had argued it was impossible to give soldiers on active service the benefits of the Human Rights Act.

But the High Court ruled service personnel were entitled to some legal protection "wherever they may be".

Solicitor Jocelyn Cockburn, acting for the soldier's family, said the ruling meant British soldiers sent abroad would "have the same human rights as any other British citizens and must be properly equipped when sent into battle".(dpa)