BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A senior
U.S. military officer said on Tuesday he would launch an investigation
into the killing by U.S. soldiers of an Iraqi boy after allegations
came to light that he had been unarmed and posed no threat.
"I'll assign an investigative
officer who will investigate the incident and make recommendations,"
said Col. Joseph Anderson, the commander of the Second Brigade of the
101st Airborne Division.
The shooting took place after
U.S. forces had come under fire on the outskirts of the city of Kerbala
on Saturday, April 5, according to military sources. U.S. soldiers
then shot dead six Iraqis they said had been armed or reaching for
weapons.
The boy, estimated to have
been between 12 and 15 years old, was killed around the same time.
But several soldiers have said he was not part of the armed group and
had simply been riding a bicycle in the area, according to military
sources.
"We'll do an investigation
so we can understand the facts and circumstances around the incident,"
Anderson said.
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