US forces killed in new friendly fire incident

A convoy of American special forces and Kurdish civilians came under attack today in what witnesses described as another friendly-fire incident.

John Simpson, the BBC’s World Affairs Editor, was with the convoy in northern Iraq when it was bombed by US forces.

A senior Kurdish official is thought to be among those who were injured in the raid which Simpson, who also suffered minor injuries, described as a “bad own goal”.

The convoy contained between eight and 10 cars, two of which contained US special forces.

As many as 12 American soldiers travelling in the convoy are believed to have been killed in the attack.

Mr Simpson told BBC News: “I have counted 10 to 12 bodies. Americans dead.”

“This is just a scene from hell here. There are vehicles on fire, bodies lying around, and there are bits of bodies around me.

“They hit their own people. They’ve killed a lot of ordinary characters. I’m just looking at the bodies now and it’s not a very pretty sight.”

He said the bomb was dropped from a US plane 10 to 12 feet from where he was standing.

Mr Simpson, who was being treated by an American medic, suffered a shrapnel wound to his leg, the BBC said.

Since the war in Iraq began 18 days ago five of the 27 British service personnel killed have lost their lives in friendly fire incidents.

On March 23, just three days into the conflict, an RAF GR4 Tornado aircraft from RAF Marham, Norfolk, which was returning from an operational mission, was engaged near the Kuwaiti border by a Patriot missile battery.

Flight Lt Kevin Main, a pilot, and his navigator Flight Lt Dave Williams, both of 9 Squadron, were killed.

Two days later a further two British soldiers were killed when their four-man Challenger 2 Main Battle tank was mistakenly fired upon by comrades in another tank.

Corporal Stephen John Allbutt, 35, from Stoke-on-Trent, trooper David Jeffrey Clarke, 19, from Littleworth, Staffordshire, lost their lives.

On March 28 Lance Corporal Matty Hull, 25, of The Blues & Royals, Household Cavalry Regiment, from Windsor, was killed when a US A-10 tankbuster aircraft reportedly fired on two armoured vehicles.

US Central Command said in a statement, reported by AP: "Three U.S. service members were killed and five wounded in a possible friendly fire incident involving an F-15E Strike Eagle and coalition ground forces.''

It gave no details on Kurdish casualties or the location of the apparent friendly-fire attack