A FORMER British soldier has returned to Iraq as part of a BBC mini-series into how the country has changed since he served there.

Adnan Sarwar, who was raised in Burnley, will be exploring how the country has changed since the Iraq War in BBC2’s Journey in the Danger Zone: Iraq.

The Muslim ex-soldier first arrived in Iraq in 2003 as a 24-year-old soldier with the British Army.

He initially viewed his mission as liberating the country’s people from Saddam Hussein, but when parts of the population turned against the allied forces, Adnan’s life was changed forever by an ambush which killed one of his friends.

Now, in the two-part series, viewers will see the 39-year-old journey to different regions of Iraq speaking to locals about how things have changed.

Executive producer Denman Rooke said: “Adnan is the perfect guide to Iraq for this series.

“He brings a former soldier’s insight and understanding of why - for some - fighting is a way of life, alongside his unique brand of warmth, curiosity and razor-sharp journalistic intelligence, which allow him to engage with and understand the lives of Iraqis as they look to the future.”

He will start in Kurdistan, accompanying the Kurdish Peshmerga militia on a special convoy to Mount Gara, before spending time with animal activist Ben Brifkani as he releases two brown bears.

He will also visit war-stricken places like Mosul, and talk to the civilians trying to rebuild their lives after Isis left.

Mr Sarwar will be shown joining the British and Iraqi mine-clearance team, understanding the dangers that befall the crew, with the UN estimating it would take 10 years to remove all of the mines.

During the war Mr Sarwar penned a diary and won the Financial Times Essay Prize of the Year in 2013 for his work.

Mr Sarwar trained with the Royal Engineers and qualified in bomb disposal, mine clearance and as an armoured vehicle commander.

He studied chemistry at Lancaster University, joining the army later.

Now, he journeys back to Iraq, going from cities to the southern marshes where he served with the army, to meet people affected by the conflict in the area.

Journey in the Danger Zone: Iraq, airs on BBC2 tomorrow with the second part at the same time next Sunday.

To watch the series on iPlayer click here.