BAGHDAD, Iraq — Three Iraqi civilians were killed and a child critically injured when U.S. soldiers stormed a small home north of Baghdad, the military said Tuesday.
It was the second time in recent days that Iraqi citizens were mistakenly killed by American forces in Iraq. An errant helicopter strike Saturday killed six civilians, including a child, and three guards aligned with U.S. troops.
Late Monday, soldiers were pursuing members of a suicide bombing network just outside Saddam Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit when they entered the home and came under fire, according to the American military statement.
The Iraqi victims — farmer Ali Hamed Shihab; his wife, Naeema Ali; and their son, Dhiaa Ali, 18 — were killed in the crossfire when the American soldiers retaliated, officials said.
Iraqi police and witnesses provided a different account. They told The Washington Post that U.S. soldiers entered the tiny house and opened fire on a family in their beds.
“We sincerely regret when civilians are injured during our operations, and we make every effort to protect them,” said Maj. Winfield Danielson.
Muhannad Ismail Shihab, whose aunt, uncle and cousin were killed in Monday’s raid, said: “I was shocked when I saw their bodies, and I started to shiver. All of them were near their beds. The Americans are liars when they said my family was killed because the soldiers came under fire.”
One of the surviving guards and a relative of one of the men killed in the helicopter air strike said Tuesday that he had not yet learned why an Apache helicopter mistook the U.S.-aligned Concerned Local Citizens checkpoint for an enemy safe house.
“In the meantime, we are continuing our duties just like before and all of our operations are under way, but our voices must be heard. If they don’t have an immediate investigation to determine what happened, we will withdraw from the Concerned Local Citizens,” said Mezahim Radam, whose uncle was killed in the accident.
The United Nations’ most recent human rights report on Iraq recorded 88 civilian deaths caused by U.S. airstrikes from March through June last year. It urged the U.S. to pursue a “vigorous” probe of the events leading to the deaths.
Asked whether the request led to changes, Air Force Brig. Gen. Burt Field said, “No, I’m afraid not, and the reason is that we are doing everything humanly possible to avoid the death of innocent people.”
Maj. Gen. David Edgington, the top Air Force commander in Iraq, said the military ensures each air strike meets rules in place to minimize collateral damage. Factors considered include building materials, civilian schedules in the area and intelligence on the ground, he said.
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