U.S. Troops Fire at Italian Diplomat's Car in Iraq

Reuters
Friday, September 19, 2003; 10:25 AM

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. troops opened fire on a car carrying an Italian diplomat who holds a senior position in Iraq's U.S.-led administration, killing his Iraqi interpreter, American military sources said Friday.

Many Iraqis accuse U.S. troops of being too quick to open fire and failing to follow rules of engagement.

Human rights groups say many innocent Iraqis have been killed. The United States says it keeps no figures on civilian casualties.

Last week, the U.S. Army apologized after soldiers in the tense town of Falluja killed 10 Iraqi security guards and a Jordanian in a gun battle that was later described as an accident.

Locals in Falluja say U.S. troops there also killed a teen-ager Wednesday night when they opened fire after hearing celebratory gunshots from a wedding, mistakenly believing they were under attack.

Last month, a U.S. soldier shot dead award-winning Reuters cameraman Mazen Dana on the outskirts of Baghdad. The U.S. Army said the soldier mistook Dana's camera for a rocket-propelled grenade launcher. (Additional reporting by David Brough in Rome)