[QODLink]
Middle East
UK security firm in Iraq shooting
The latest incident involving security firm said to have wounded three civilians.
Last Modified: 19 Oct 2007 08:40 GMT
The US military says it is investigating the incident [AFP]
At least three people have been injured after British private security guards opened fire on a taxi in the northern town of Kirkuk, Iraqi police said.
 
The US military said the guards, who were protecting US army engineers, opened fire on a speeding vehicle, and that at least one civilian was allegedly wounded in Thursday's shooting.
Iraqi officials said three civilians were wounded in the incident, which is the latest in a series of shootings involving private security firms in Iraq.
 
The US Army Corps of Engineers said the guards were working for Erinys, a British company, and that the shooting was under investigation.
"The private security team initiated escalating warning procedures under the rules for the use of force, resulting in an alleged injury to a civilian occupant of the vehicle," the Corps said in a statement.
 
General Torhan Yusuf, Kirkuk's police chief, told AFP a female television journalist and two men were wounded in the shooting.
 
'Opened fire'
 
Sarhat Qadir, a police spokesman in Kirkuk, which is 290km north of Baghdad, said the contractors were travelling in black SUV's.
 
"I saw a convoy of three cars pass a taxi and one of the guards  took his weapon and opened fire on the taxi," said Hussain Rashid, a police officer
 
"I tried myself to stop the convoy but they didn't pay attention to me."
Investigations are under way into the alleged killing of 17 Iraqi civilians last month by the US Blackwater security firm.
 
On October 9 two Iraqi Christian women were shot by security contractors working for Australian-owned Unity Resources Group.
Source:
Agencies
Featured on Al Jazeera
An unflinching portrait of physical labour in the 21st century.
The stark choice between a fascist or an imperialist course in Syria should be discarded for a third and better course.
Israel's propaganda machine carefully chooses its words to assert illegal ownership over Jerusalem and Palestine.
As Western fears grow over Iran's continuing nuclear programme, we ask how a military strike could impact the region.
<  > 
join our mailing list

Enter Zip Code
Go