Civilians killed in U.S. raid near Balad

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Friday, March 17, 2006

A U.S. raid near Balad on Wednesday resulted in the deaths of between nine and 13 civilians. An Associated Press photographer recorded pictures of the bodies of two men, five children, and four covered corpses reported to be women. The victims had bits of rubble tangled in their hair and were covered in dust. Police Capt. Hakim Azzawi said in an interview with the Washington Post that 13 in total were dead, two men, five children, and six women. The U.S. military confirmed the attack but said only four people died — two women, a man and a child.

Family of the victims said the 11 dead people were wrapped in blankets and driven in three pickup trucks to the Tikrit General Hospital.

The US military said that the raid resulted in a "foreign fighter facilitator" being taken into coalition custody for questioning.

Police Capt. Laith Mohammed stated that the attack 50 miles north of Baghdad involved U.S. warplanes and armored vehicles, which flattened a house in the village of Isahaqi.

Ahmed, the brother of the dead man, told the Associated Press, "The dead family was not part of the resistance. They were women and children. The Americans have promised us a better life, but we get only death."

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External links

Photos of the victims of the U.S. raid

Sources

John Ward Anderson. "U.S. raid for alleged fugitive kills up to 13 near Baghdad" — DenverPost.com, 03/16/2006 1:00 AM MST
"Iraq: U.S. Raid Kills Women, Children" — CBS, March 15,2006
AP. "U.S.-led raid kills civilians north of Balad" — CNN, March 15,2006
Reuters. "US launches air offensive in Iraq" — Al Jazeera, Thursday 16 March 2006, 22:59 Makka Time, 19:59 GMT
Qassim Abdul-Zahra (AP). US launches major assault in Iraq <broken link> [archived version] — The Independent, Thursday 16 March 2006

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