Five die in friendly fire gun battle
Police mistook a group of Iraqi soldiers for rebels today and opened fire, sparking a ten minute gun battle that left five dead.
The soldiers in Rabia, 90 miles west of the northern city of Mosul, were dressed in civilian clothing that confused the police, according to the region’s police chief, Ahmed Mohammed Khalaf.
Three soldiers and two police were killed and another eight wounded in the exchange of friendly fire.
In the former rebel stronghold of Fallujah, police patrolled the streets and imposed a sudden, late-afternoon curfew, shouting without explanation through loudspeakers: ”Close your stores and go home!” They also set up checkpoints and searched cars in the city.
Earlier, a battle broke out in the northern Jolan neighbourhood between unidentified gunmen and Iraqi security forces, witnesses said.
Demonstrations were held in the British patrolled southern city of Basra, where more than 200 protesters demanded an individual from their oil rich region be named head of the oil ministry. Some demonstrators threatened to strike if their demands are not met.
