US troops kill 13 in Sadr city raid
US forces targeting militants believed to have kidnapped two coalition soldiers raided the main Shiite district in Baghdad today. At least 13 people were killed, including a woman and children, Iraqi officials said.
The US army said troops staged early morning operations in Sadr City, a stronghold of the Mahdi Army militia that is loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
Helicopters and jet fighters bombed buildings during the 5am raid in the sprawling district and at least 13 people were killed, including a woman and three children, and 52 were wounded, Iraqi officials said.
Several houses and stores were damaged.
The US military statement said only that the raids were targeting “criminals believed to be responsible for the kidnapping of coalition soldiers in November 2006 and May 2007”.
It provided no more details but said there was not evidence of civilian casualties.
“I don’t yet have details on the number of terrorists killed, but I can say that we don’t have any evidence of any civilians killed or wounded,” spokesman Lieutenant Justin Cole said in an e-mail. “Coalition forces only engage hostile threats and make every effort to protect innocent civilians.”
Relatives gathered at the Imam Ali hospital as the emergency room was overwhelmed with injured victims and the dead were placed in caskets covered by Iraqi flags.
“The 14-year-old child of my neighbour called Saif was killed by an airstrike and what is his guilt? Is he from the Mahdi Army? He is a poor student,” local resident Abu Fatmah said.
He was apparently referring to 14-year-old student Saif Alwan, whose uncle said he was killed while sleeping on the roof. Saif’s mother and father were seriously wounded.
Fatmah said many of the casualties were people sleeping on the roof to seek relief from the hot weather and lack of electricity.
AP Television news showed a US helicopter flying over the area while black smoke rose into the sky.
Other footage showed three bloodied boys sitting on hospital tables and an elderly man being treated for a head wound.
Mourners tied wooden coffins on the tops of minivans while a plume of black smoke rose in the background.
