BAGHDAD (Sputnik) – Nine Iraqi Security Forces soldiers were confirmed dead in an errant US airstrike last week in support of ground troops in al-Naimiyah, Fallujah. Over 20 total deaths and 30 injuries have been reported in the incident.
"We see that the Coalition air force strikes on Iraqi Army camps continue, coinciding with the victories of the army, thus in itself showing the frivolity of the international coalition against Daesh [Arabic acronym for Islamic State] and in efforts to eradicate terrorism," Mohammed Masoudi said. "Therefore, we reiterate our call for the Iraqi government to open an urgent investigation to clarify the circumstances of the incident."
Iraqi parliament security and defense committee chief Hakim Zamli told Sputnik last week that Baghdad was planning to pursue the matter through the courts, holding the United States accountable for what it sees as a war crime. US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter later extended his condolences to Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi for the deaths.
The US-led coalition issued a statement acknowledging the "possibility one of the strikes resulted in the death of Iraqi soldiers" despite coordination with security forces on the ground.
