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In 'tragic' incident, U.S. troops fire on car, killing 3

An Iraqi man is consoled after relatives were killed when U.S. forces fired on their car in Baqubah.

BAGHDAD - U.S. soldiers fired on a civilian vehicle Monday because they feared it might hold a suicide bomber, killing at least two adults and a child northeast of the capital, American and Iraqi officials said.

The troops fired on the car because it was moving erratically outside a U.S. base in Baqubah, 35 miles from Baghdad, said Maj. Steven Warren, a U.S. spokesman. "It was one of these regrettable, tragic incidents," Warren said.

Dr. Ahmed Fouad at the city morgue and police officials gave a higher death toll, saying five people - including three children - were killed while driving home from a funeral.

Iraqi officials have long complained about American troops firing at civilian vehicles that appear suspicious. U.S. officials note that suicide car bombers often strike checkpoints.

Mystery continued to surround a firefight that broke out when U.S. and Iraqi forces surrounded a house in the northern city of Mosul that was believed used by members of al-Qaida in Iraq. Eight insurgents and four Iraqi police died in the assault.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hohshyar Zebari said tests were being done to determine if the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, died in the raid.

However, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq cast doubt on whether Zarqawi was killed. "Unfortunately, we did not get him in Mosul," Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said of Iraq's most feared terrorist.

In Cairo, leaders of Iraq's Shiites, Kurds and Sunnis wrapped up a conference by condemning terrorism but saying the opposition had a "legitimate right" to resistance. Their statement omitted any reference to attacks on U.S. or Iraqi forces.

The gathering organized by the Arab League also said there should be a timetable for the withdrawal of foreign forces from Iraq, a key demand of Sunni Arabs.

Also Monday, a leading Shiite lawmaker suggested he will pursue a federal region in southern Iraq after next month's elections, pushing forward demands for Shiite autonomy that Sunni leaders fear could tear the country apart.

[Last modified November 22, 2005, 02:15:27]