U.S. forces (wearing civilian clothes) clash with gunmen in Iraq's Hilla

[sabra]

Source: Reuters

HILLA, Iraq, April 3 (Reuters) - U.S. forces called in helicopter strikes during a clash with gunmen on Thursday in the southern Iraqi city of Hilla, scene of fighting last week between security forces and Shi'ite militiamen.

Police sources in the Shi'ite city said five people had been killed in the predawn operation, including four policemen. They said fighting broke out after U.S. troops wearing civilian clothes entered the al-Jamiya district in central Hilla.

Sattar al-Jeshaami, spokesman for the main hospital in Hilla, said six bodies had been brought in after the clash, including four policemen. Around 15 people had been wounded, half of them civilians, he said.

The U.S. military said gunmen opened fire on U.S. troops who were on an operation to detain a so-called "special groups" member, the military's term for rogue elements in the Mehdi Army militia of Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.


Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/middleeastCrisis/idUSL03615032

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another version of this report:

http://www.aswataliraq.info/look/english/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=4&NrArticle=75216&NrIssue=2&NrSection=1

US army kills 4 Iraqi cops, guard in Babel-police

Babel - Voices of Iraq


(VOI)-Five Iraqi security forces and seven others wounded when US forces launched attacks against them in Hilla, south Baghdad, a Babel police source said.

"A US forces was airlanded by a helicopter into Jameiya district, central Hilla,shotting fire at a guard in his night duty dead", a source in Babel police, who requested anonmity, told Aswat al-Iraq-Voices of Iraq(VOI).

The source pointed out the province's police "had not been early informed about the attack".

He noted "a patrol police forces sent to the accident scene clashed with the US troops, and was hit with a rocket fired by backing US helicopter"

"Four policemen were killed and three others wounded in addition to two patrol police vehicles were set ablaze", he added.

The police source said "the helicopter pursued the ambulance rushing the injuried to Hilla hospital and fired a rocket, leaving four policemen wounded".

[Bonobo]

1. "U.S. troops wearing civilian clothes"

In violation of the Geneva Convention (again).

[zonmoy]

2. anybody else figure their orders were to start something

to make excuses to keep the troops in the country.

[sabra]

3. if the report is accurate (we may never know) - the Iraqi police were caught

off guard and were fighting their "ally"... though this image comes to mind:

[unapatriciated]

4. Yes that's exactly what I thought.

How close is this tho the Iran border?

[sabra]

6. not too close...

[unapatriciated]

9. Yeah I looked at a map after I posted.

They were there to pick up this guy.

" The U.S. military said its troops were on an operation to detain a member of Mahdi Army militia, loyal to radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr."

Still doesn't explain why they were in civilian dress or why the did not contact local police has they have done on previous air strikes in that area.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-04/03/content_7913464.htm

[Barrett808]

18. So the black-bag job failed miserably

Criminal and embarrassing.

[endarkenment]

11. I recall a similar british operation in Basra.

The SAS unit was going around dressed as locals stirring shit up. They got arrested by the local police and the Brits had to attack the local jail to get them out.

[Bonobo]

13. You're right. I recall it as well.

[aquart]

15. And the proof they were US troops and not Blackwater?

[Bonobo]

17. I'm already married, so get the fuck off my ass, stalker.

[MidwestTransplant]

5. Sounds like it could be contractors (Blackwater).

[Tempest]

7. The military said they were U.S. soldiers

The U.S. military said gunmen opened fire on U.S. troops who were on an operation to detain a so-called "special groups" member

[MidwestTransplant]

8. I wonder if they would even say if contractors were involved.

In any case, could easily be special ops too as they dress in civilian clothes for certain operations.

[Tempest]

14. I would think they were special ops

They were looking for members of a "special ops" group.

That's not something you'd send regular army or contractors out for.

[sofa king]

19. Definitely special ops.

No telling which special ops it was, since we have so many, but they likely fall under the aegis of SOCOM.

If the number of troops was six or twelve, it was likely Special Forces. If it was four or eight, it was likely SEALs. If anyone who saw them is dead, it was Delta.

Edit: It's worth mentioning that the Delta guys wear civvies almost all the time when not deployed. They have no standardized uniform.

[Crunchy Frog]

10. If they're wearing civilian clothes, doesn't that make them illegal combatatants?

If they got spirited away to a Middle Eastern Gitmo and held there indefinitely, that would be alright, wouldn't it?

[endarkenment]

12. hush now

[aquart]

16. YEP.

[Ian David]

20. Doesn't that make those US troops "Enemy Combatants" now? n/t