Soldiers in Baghdad accidentally shoot woman

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Col. Allen Batschelet, (left)

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Soldiers in Baghdad kill bomb emplacer,

but accidentally shoot woman used as shield.

Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO

April 3, 2008

BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad soldiers engaged and killed a man emplacing an improvised explosive device in northeastern Baghdad April 2.

Another suspected emplacer and a local woman were wounded in the incident. After the engagement, the woman died of her wounds.

MND-B soldiers on a dismounted patrol discovered a man emplacing a possible improvised explosive device. The soldiers engaged the emplacer, firing three rounds, which killed him.

A crowd gathered at the scene. Another man attempted to remove the device through the crowd. The MND-B soldiers attempted to engage the man, who used two local women as cover against the soldiers.

The suspect was wounded, and so was one of the women.

When the patrol approached the site of the incident, both the IED and wounded woman had been taken away by the crowd.

“This tragic event is the result of criminals using innocent civilians as their shields in order to attack our soldiers,” said Col. Allen Batschelet, chief of staff, MND-B. “We offer our deepest sympathy to the family of the victim. We will continue to conduct precision operations based on substantial evidence of criminal activity to help protect the Iraqi citizens against all enemies.”

Sorrce Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342