- BAGHDAD -- The refusal by
the US army to count the number of Iraqi civilians killed by US soldiers
in Baghdad has been strongly condemned by Human Rights Watch.
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- Joe Stork, the acting executive director of the group's
Middle East and North Africa division, said: "It is a tragedy that
US soldiers have killed so many civilians in Baghdad. But it is really
incredible that the US military does not even count these deaths."
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- Human Rights Watch collected evidence of 94 civilians
being killed by the US army in the capital and confirmed 20 cases between
1 May and 30 September. The report said civilians were most likely to be
killed during raids, at checkpoints, and after ambushes. "In all three
circumstances soldiers often quickly resorted to lethal force," it
said. Part of the problem was the use of combat troops for what are essentially
policing duties.
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- In some cases troops behave with unnecessary rudeness
towards civilians such as putting their feet on the heads of captive Iraqis
when they are lying on the ground. The report says that "in Iraqi
culture, the use of the feet against another person is highly insulting".
The tying up and hooding of suspects, often for hours, also creates lasting
bitterness.
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- The report, which looked at cases in which civilians
were killed but not where they were wounded, calls for all alleged unlawful
killings by soldiers to be investigated and those who have used indiscriminate
or excessive force punished. Mr Stork said: "Right now soldiers feel
they can pull the trigger without coming under review."
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- * A US soldier and two civilians were killed when an
American patrol was attacked in Fallujah yesterday, the US military and
witnesses said. A roadside bomb exploded as the patrol was driving past.
Attackers then fired assault rifles at the Americans, who returned fire.
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- © 2003 Independent Digital (UK) Ltd
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- http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=455545
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