US military now says only the ‘enemy’ had been killed dropping earlier reference to Al Qaeda

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.khaleejtimes.ae/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/focusoniraq/2007/June/focusoniraq_June139.xml§ion=focusoniraq&col=

US military probes disputed air strike in Iraq

(Reuters)

28 June 2007

BAGHDAD - The US military said on Thursday it was investigating reports that Iraqi neighbourhood guards at a town north of Baghdad were killed in an air strike the military had said killed 17 Al Qaeda gunmen.

The BBC reported on its Web site this week that residents were bitterly disputing the US military’s account of the June 22 helicopter strike on the outskirts of the Shia town of Khalis in Diyala province.

According to residents interviewed by the BBC, the attack killed 11 men and wounded five who were working as guards in the neighbourhood. Residents said those attacked had nothing to do with Sunni Islamist Al Qaeda, the BBC said.

The US military issued a statement on June 22 saying attack helicopters killed 17 Al Qaeda gunmen southwest of Khalis before dawn that day. It said gunmen had been observed trying to infiltrate the area near Iraqi police, prompting the strike.

In response to queries from Reuters, the US military said that while it was investigating the incident, only the ‘enemy’ had been killed. But it dropped the reference to Al Qaeda.

[pa28]

1. Well it never stopped the U.S. media from parroting this line.

Too bad we have to rely foreign media to point this out and the US military to correct it's own mistakes.

[malaise]

2. They killed innocent people

and lied. No surprise.