Winks Blog

5 Civilians Killed By US Forces Called a Mistake. Sunni Clerk Asassinated, 5 Civilians, 4 Policemen Killed

A man is consoled by a relative as he mourns the death of his family members inside Baqouba hospital, Iraq, Monday, Nov. 21, 2005. U.S. forces mistakenly fired on a civilian vehicle outside of an American military base north of Baghdad on Monday, killing at least three people, including one child, a U.S. spokesman said. Five people returning from a relative's funeral, including three children, were killed and two others wounded, said Dr. Ahmed Fouad of the Baqouba city morgue. U.S. officials said they only knew of three deaths in the incident, including one child, and three others wounded. (AP Photo/Mohammed

Good morning,

Today US forces fired on a civilian vehicle by mistake.
This error in judgement cost the lives of up to 5 people, including 3 children according to Dr. Ahmed Fouad of the city morgue

A U.S. soldier thought the vehicle was moving erratically outside the base in Baqouba and fired warning shots. The US says that there were a total of 3 civilians in the vehicle including one child. The difference in the numbers, according to US military could be, they say, the fact that there was a roadside bombing in that proximity that was targeting US Humvees, but whose blast did not kill any US military, but did kill 5 civilians and injured 12 bystanders.

The blast was the latest in a series of attacks that have killed more than 150 people in the last four days.

In the nearby city of Tarmiyah, four policemen were killed and another wounded by gunmen, police 1st Lt. Ali Hussein said.

In the largely Shiite southern city of Basra, insurgents killed a Sunni cleric, Khalil Ibrahim, outside his home, police Capt. Mushtaq Talib said. Ibrahim was a member of the Association of Muslim Scholars, a group of influential Sunni clerics that has been sharply critical of the Shiite-led government.

They say there is no civil war in Iraq. To the "They" who are saying this, just watch.

Have a good day.

posted by Wink @ 8:39 AM