Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Media: AFP
Byline:
Date: 24 October 2006
BAGHDAD, Oct 24, 2006 (AFP) - American soldiers shot and killed four Iraqi
firemen after mistaking their fire tender for one hijacked by insurgents,
US military headquarters said Tuesday.
"After receiving word that a fire truck and its crew were just hijacked,
coalition forces pulled over a fire truck matching that description," said
a statement describing Monday's incident in the western city of Fallujah.
When the unarmed firefighters got out of the fire tender US soldiers opened
fire and killed them, after mistaking them for armed insurgents.
"The suspected insurgents were in fact firefighters responding to a call.
The fire truck number did not match the one of the hijacked truck. All four
of the firefighters that exited the vehicle died," the statement said.
"Minutes later another fire truck was spotted and pulled over in an area
nearby. The occupants fled. It was determined that this truck number did
match the truck that was hijacked," it added.
American forces are often accused of using excessive and indiscriminate
force in Iraq, although commanders say the problem is now taken more
seriously and the number of wrongful killings has diminished.
Byline:
Date: 24 October 2006
BAGHDAD, Oct 24, 2006 (AFP) - American soldiers shot and killed four Iraqi
firemen after mistaking their fire tender for one hijacked by insurgents,
US military headquarters said Tuesday.
"After receiving word that a fire truck and its crew were just hijacked,
coalition forces pulled over a fire truck matching that description," said
a statement describing Monday's incident in the western city of Fallujah.
When the unarmed firefighters got out of the fire tender US soldiers opened
fire and killed them, after mistaking them for armed insurgents.
"The suspected insurgents were in fact firefighters responding to a call.
The fire truck number did not match the one of the hijacked truck. All four
of the firefighters that exited the vehicle died," the statement said.
"Minutes later another fire truck was spotted and pulled over in an area
nearby. The occupants fled. It was determined that this truck number did
match the truck that was hijacked," it added.
American forces are often accused of using excessive and indiscriminate
force in Iraq, although commanders say the problem is now taken more
seriously and the number of wrongful killings has diminished.