USA mistakenly kills nine Iraq soldiers

“The ministry has formed an investigation committee to determine the causes behind the alliance aircraft bombing of Iraqi army’s advancing units near Fallujah [in western Iraq]”, al-Obeidi said in Baghdad, according to Iraqi news website Alsumaria News.

“The coalition offers condolences on the unfortunate loss of life of courageous Iraq security forces on the front lines in the fight against Daesh”, a statement from the United States military said.

Another U.S. official, who asked for anonymity to discuss an episode under investigation, said the plane that carried out the attack was a B-1B bomber, which dropped several bombs as it was supporting Iraqi forces battling Islamic State fighters near Fallujah. “Despite coordination with the Iraqi security forces on the ground, initial reports indicate the possibility one of the strikes resulted in the death of Iraqi soldiers”, a statement said on Friday.

Khalid al-Obaidy ordered an investigation into Friday’s alleged friendly-fire incident.

Mr Carter said he spoke with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi by phone today to express his condolences over the deaths.

“These kind of things can happen when you are fighting side by side as we are”, Carter told reporters aboard the Kearsarge, an amphibious assault ship deployed in the Persian Gulf, “on a dynamic battlefield”.

The U.S. accidentally bombed the wrong side in Iraq.

The airstrike killed nine Iraqi service members, the Iraqi Defense Ministry confirmed Saturday.

Carter met with Obeidi this week during a brief visit to Baghdad to assess the state of the campaign against Islamic State. Meanwhile, Iraq’s defence minister predicted Saturday that security forces backed by US-led coalition air strikes would retake full control of the city of Ramadi by the end of the year. “There are still many civilians in the city”.