US guards kill innocent Iraqi driver
An innocent Iraqi taxi driver has been shot dead by a private security guard protecting American convoys.
The incident took place on Saturday afternoon when a taxi driver neared a convoy in western Baghdad’s Atafiyah neighbourhood, according to a police officer at the nearest station.
The death comes less than two months after guards with US firm Blackwater killed 17 civilians in the city and amid a continuing row over the immunity from prosecution that the shooters enjoy.
The company involved in the latest shooting was DynCorp International, one of three firms contracted to protect American officials in Iraq.
“DynCorp did inform the Embassy that at 12:45 on Saturday, there had been a security incident involving a DynCorp PSD in Baghdad,” an US embassy spokesman said, using the acronym for private security detail.
“They reported that a private vehicle approached the convoy, and continued to approach to the point where a member of the PSD used his weapon to disable the vehicle.”
The taxi driver was shot in the head and chest, and died at the scene, police said.
The man’s taxi was searched and no no weapons nor any other evidence of suspicious activity was found.
The convoy, which did not stop, comprised seven vehicles, but it is not know who were in them or what company they were from.
“These are very upsetting incidents for everyone involved. DynCorp is working with the Iraqi Ministry of Interior to investigate,” the US spokesman said.
