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The War Profiteers - War Crimes,
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March 26th,
2008 - Many Killed by U.S. Strike in Iraq’s Hilla - Sources |
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Many Killed by U.S. Strike
in Iraq’s Hilla - Sources By Sami al-Jumaily, Habib al-Zubaidy, Peter Graff & Sami Aboudi Reuters March 26, 2008 Hilla, Iraq - Many people
were killed or wounded by a U.S. air strike called to support Iraqi forces in
the town of Hilla south of Baghdad on Wednesday, Iraqi security sources said. U.S. forces confirmed the
air strike and said they were not certain how many people had been killed but
denied that there were large numbers of casualties. One police source said at
least 11 people were killed and 18 wounded in the strike, launched after
Iraqi security forces called for support following street battles with
Shi'ite militia members in the city's Thawra neighbourhood. Another police source said
29 people were killed and 39 were wounded. He said six houses were destroyed
in the strikes which lasted for an hour late on Wednesday evening. Two other security sources
said the combined total of dead and wounded was in the dozens, although they
were unable to give precise casualty figures. All of the sources spoke under
condition they not be named, as is usual practice in Iraq. Major Allayne Conway,
spokeswoman for U.S. forces south of Baghdad, said U.S. helicopters had
responded to a call for help from SWAT special police units in Hilla. "The Hilla SWAT guys
were on the ground. They were engaged. Our attack helicopters were called in.
They engaged," she said. "We're still checking
how many enemy personnel were killed. The initial report I had was
four." Iraqi security forces have
battled Shi'ite militia in several southern cities and Shi'ite areas of
Baghdad for the past two days. External link: http://www.reuters.com/article/featuredCrisis/idUSL26766126 Iraqi civilians killed, hurt
in gunbattle during US raid in northern Iraq By Associated Press March 26, 2008 Baghdad - Several Iraqi
civilians were killed or wounded Wednesday in a gunbattle between U.S. troops
and suspected al-Qaida in Iraq insurgents in northern Iraq, the American
military said. Iraqi police and witnesses
said at least seven civilians were killed, included a local judge, and nine
wounded when U.S. troops came under fire and called in an airstrike while
raiding two houses in Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit. Two houses were destroyed
and at least three cars were burned to hulks, a resident said, speaking on
condition of anonymity because of security concerns. "I saw two women and a
child were running away from one of these houses," the resident said. A police officer, who also
declined to be identified because he wasn't authorized to release the
information, said at least six charred bodies and another victim were found
in the rubble. He said one house belonged to a local judge, who was among the
dead. The U.S. military said the
operation was targeting a member of al-Qaida in Iraq who was suspected of
organizing car bombings for the group. An airstrike was ordered
after soldiers encountered heavy fire from insurgents using civilians as
shields when they approached the house, according to the military statement. "Preliminary assessment
indicates that despite coalition forces' efforts to protect them, several
civilians were injured or killed during the ensuing gunbattle," the
military said. Soldiers treated the wounded
on site and transported some to a military medical facility, it said, adding
more details would be released as they become available. "Coalition forces make every
effort to protect civilians during our operations, but al-Qaida in Iraq
terrorists continue to place women and children in harm's way," said
U.S. military spokesman Maj. Winfield Danielson. Tikrit is 130 kilometers (80
miles) north of Baghdad. External link: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/03/26/africa/ME-GEN-Iraq-Civilians-Killed.php |