Friendly fire blamed for two-thirds of deaths

IN the first seven days of fighting in Iraq, accidents and friendly fire — not enemy actions — accounted for nearly two-thirds of the reported deaths of US and British troops.

Defence officials and other sources have confirmed 45 fatalities: 25 Americans and 20 Britons.

The 14 US soldiers and two British troops killed by hostile fire were 36% of the total. Accidents that ranged from helicopter crashes to a drowning caused nine US and 14 British deaths, 51% of the total. Two Americans and four Britons, or 13%, died in three incidents of fire by their own side.