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Purveyor

(29,876 posts) Sat Dec 19, 2015, 01:42 PM Dec 2015

Iraq Blames U.S. Friendly Fire for Killing 9 Troops

Source: NBC News

BAGHDAD — Nine Iraqi soldiers were killed when U.S.-led coalition warplanes mistakenly struck the troops near the ISIS-controlled city of Fallujah, Iraq's defense minister said on Saturday.

Khalid al-Obaidy ordered an investigation into Friday's alleged friendly-fire incident. He said the aircraft were supporting Iraqi forces battling ISIS because poor weather had grounded the country's helicopters. The victims included one officer, according to al-Obaidy.

Defense Secretary Ash Carter called Iraq's prime minister, Haider al-Abadi, to express condolences. Carter later told reporters that the incident appeared to be "a mistake that involved both sides."

The U.S. military said the strikes came in response to requests and information provided by Iraqi security forces on the ground near Fallujah.

Read more: http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/isis-terror/iraq-blames-u-s-friendly-fire-killing-9-troops-n483081?cid=par-time_20151219

6 replies

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Highlight:

Iraq Blames U.S. Friendly Fire for Killing 9 Troops (Original Post) Purveyor Dec 2015 OP

Another day, another handful of folks - elias49 Dec 2015 #1

They're right: "Air strike that killed Iraqi soldiers appears to have been by U.S. plane: Carter" Judi Lynn Dec 2015 #2

Sounds like the guys on the ground goofed this one. ManiacJoe Dec 2015 #3

This is how you create more terrorists. JRLeft Dec 2015 #4

Yep. It is no coincidence that this crop of isis were just Purveyor Dec 2015 #5

We've got to got out of the middle east, but there are too many resources to steal. JRLeft Dec 2015 #6

elias49

(4,259 posts)

1. Another day, another handful of folks -

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Sat Dec 19, 2015, 02:04 PM

Dec 2015

no big deal. They weren't Americans.

Judi Lynn

(160,545 posts)

2. They're right: "Air strike that killed Iraqi soldiers appears to have been by U.S. plane: Carter"

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Sat Dec 19, 2015, 07:54 PM

Dec 2015

Air strike that killed Iraqi soldiers appears to have been by U.S. plane: Carter

Reuters
By Yeganeh Torbati
7 hours ago

ON BOARD THE USS KEARSARGE (Reuters) - A U.S. aircraft appears to have mistakenly carried out an air strike that killed Iraqi security forces near the city of Fallujah, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Saturday.

The Iraqi Minister of Defence Khaled al-Obeidi said earlier that nine soldiers died in the strike on Friday.

The U.S. military is leading an international coalition that is waging an air offensive on Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, where the militant group control large swaths of territory.

Obeidi told a news conference that the strike occurred when coalition air forces were covering the advance of Iraqi ground troops near Fallujah because the Iraqi army helicopters were not able to fly due to the bad weather.

More:
http://news.yahoo.com/iraqi-defense-minister-says-nine-soldiers-killed-coalition-104619301.html