horrible mistake in Iraq

US troops mistakenly kill 6 Iraqis

BAGHDAD – U.S. troops on boats in the Tigris river mistakenly killed six Iraqis Wednesday in an exchange of fire between the two sides north of Baghdad, Iraqi officials said.

The clash began when Iraqi troops at a checkpoint fired at approaching U.S. military boats near Tarmiyah, 30 miles north of Baghdad, police and security officials said. They did not realize the boats, which had their lights off, were American.

The U.S. soldiers fired back, killing two Iraqi soldiers, two police officers and two U.S.-backed Sunni tribesmen, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to release the information to the media.

Two U.S. helicopters later fired on a one-room house on an island in the river near the site of the clash, the Iraqis said.

The U.S. military confirmed there was an incident of "mistaken fire" between U.S. and Iraqi forces while the U.S.-led coalition was conducting an operation in the area against suspected al-Qaida in Iraq militants. A U.S. spokesman said aircraft were also involved but did not give more details.

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