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Iraq - United States

US forces 'not involved' in Iraqi bloodbath

The US has denied its forces were involved in a raid designed to end a hostage situation in a Christian cathedral in central Baghdad. Up to 50 people were killed.

Reuters
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The raid happened after Al-Qaeda gunmen stormed the cathedral and began shooting, taking many churchgoers hostage.

Security forces then carried out a raid on the church, and some eyewitnesses reported seeing US troops at the scene, despite the US military formally ending combat operations there last September.

Among those killed were five women, seven children and two priests.

“There were no US soldiers involved in the assault to free the hostages”, insisted Colonel Barry Johnson.

He said witnesses could have been confused because Iraqi Special Operations Forces deployed in the raid have different uniforms from regular Iraqi security personnel, suggesting they could have been mistaken for Americans. However he did admit some Americans were involved in offering advice to Iraqi security personnel.

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