U.S. troops in Iraq fired on insurgents Sunday while supporting Iraqi forces, marking the second time American troops have been in a combat situation since the declaration of an official end to combat operations on Sept. 1, The New York Times reported.
Three people were killed in the fighting in Hudaidy, a village about 50 miles (80km) from Baghdad -- an Iraqi soldier, an Iraqi police officer and one insurgent. There were no American casualties.
The U.S. military did not confirm its involvement in the incident, but Iraqi officials and civilian witnesses described American helicopters and ground troops taking part in the attack at the request of Iraqi forces after Sunni insurgents placed bombs around the perimeter of a palm grove to halt Iraqi troops and fired at police and troops with sniper rifles.
“This support was necessary to deal with some of these targets,” said Isam Shakar Mizher, a member of the security committee of the Diyala Provincial Council.
A spokeswoman for the U.S. military said “releasable information on this incident” is pending.
By: Brant
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