It's always an accident

From Middle East Online:

BAGHDAD - The US military said Monday that its forces accidentally killed nine Iraqi civilians, including a child, during raids against Al-Qaeda fighters south of Baghdad.

The incident occurred on Saturday near the town of Iskandariyah, 50 kilometres (30 miles) south of the Iraqi capital, a military statement said.

Three more civilians including two children were wounded, it said.

Witnesses said 20 people, including 17 members of a single family, were killed in an air strike by US in the area.

"Shortly after the incident, coalition forces leaders met with a sheikh representing the citizens of the local area," the US statement said.

"The incident is under investigation. We offer our condolences to the families of those who were killed in this incident, and we mourn the loss of innocent civilian life."

The statement gave no further details.

Early last month, Iraqi security officials said three civilians were killed by US military fire in two incidents in the province of Diyala, one of the most dangerous regions in the country.

The military said at the time it was investigating the claims.

And in October last year, a US air strike north of Baghdad killed at least 15 women and children, one of the largest losses of civilian life in a single American operation since the war began, the military said.

Diyala province is the focus of a massive sweep against Al-Qaeda, known as Operation Iron Harvest and part of the Phantom Phoenix assault targeting insurgents across the country launched on January 8.

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