Accident Kills Iraqi Civilians

[Robbien]

WASHINGTON, June 4, 2006 – In what was described as an accident during training, a U.S. unit fired an artillery shell June 2 that killed three Iraqi civilians, military officials in Iraq reported today. Officials also announced the capture yesterday of 19 terror suspects in eastern Baghdad.

On June 2, a Task Force Band of Brothers unit fired an artillery round from a military base near Baqubah, Iraq, that landed in an inhabited area, officials said. The unit, from the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, fired a 155 mm round from a Paladin self-propelled howitzer during training, and it hit in the town of Hibhib.

A short time later, Iraqi police reported an explosion at a building in the town that killed two Iraqi civilians, injured four others and damaged six houses.

U.S. soldiers from a nearby military base responded to the incident to provide medical care and any assistance needed by town officials. One of the injured civilians was evacuated to a nearby coalition medical facility, but later died from her wounds.

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jun2006/20060604_5331.html

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

1. Jesus. I'm frightened we are going to start hearing about more

accidents since they got caught with their pants down re: Haditha.

[uppityperson]

2. wonder if they had bullets in their heads also

I am too bitter to be reading this. RIP and sign.

[IndianaGreen]

3. There is no way an artillery man is going to miss a target like that

Who gave them the coordinates?

[daleo]

4. A practice round landed in an inhabited area?

It sounds like either a cover story or gross negligence.

[cal04]

5. Civilians killed by US artillery

A US artillery round landed in a small Iraqi town and police reported afterwards that two civilians were killed in the blast and one woman later died from her wounds, the US military said today. Three other people were also reported wounded and six houses were damaged in the town of Hibhib, north of Baghdad, after a US artillery unit fired a 155mm round during training on Friday, it said in a statement.

"Accident in Diyala (province) kills three, injures three," the statement's headline said. The incident came at a sensitive time for Iraqi-US relations. New Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said last week he was losing patience with reports of US killings of Iraqi civilians "by mistake". The US military statement said a self-propelled howitzer fired the round from a base near the bigger regional town of Baquba, 65km north of the capital.

"A short time later Iraqi Police reported an explosion at a building in the town (Hibhib) that killed two Iraqi civilians, injured four others and damaged six houses," the statement said. One of the wounded civilians was evacuated to a military medical facility but later died, it said. Just two weeks after Mr Maliki took office, relations between his government and the United States appear to have been soured by accusations of US troops killing Iraqi civilians.
Mr Maliki said in an interview last week: "We are worried about the increase in 'mistakes' ... I am not saying that they are intentional. But it is worrying for us."

Last Wednesday, a joint Iraqi-US security body said US forces had killed "by mistake" two women who were en route to a maternity hospital north of Baghdad. The US military is also under pressure over accusations that US Marines may have killed 24 civilians in the town of Haditha last November. In a separate incident reported by the US military today, it said Iraqi army soldiers had detained 19 "terrorists" during a search operation in eastern Baghdad yesterday. One of the detainees "reported having difficulty breathing" and died of a heart attack, it said.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19366363-1702,00.html

[rocktivity]

6. At least it didn't take three months to find out about it

But why are they doing "training" so close to a residential area? I don't think that even Hurricane Katrina could blow a missile THAT far off course!

:headbang:
rocknation

[DoYouEverWonder]

7. Why are they even 'practicing'

near a civilian population.

It's not like there isn't enough desert around there.