US troops kill seven oil thieves

American soldiers shot dead seven members of an armed gang trying to steal oil from a pipeline in central Iraq last night.

A group of 40 men armed with AK-47 assault rifles in 10 to 15 vehicles were spotted at the pipeline by the troops who were led to the area by an Iraqi informant, said army spokesman, Master Sergeant Robert Cargie.

US troops, armed with M-16 rifles and 125mm cannons mounted on Bradley fighting vehicles, shot at the thieves, killing seven of them in a gunfight, he said. The remaining people escaped, he said.

The incident occurred near Samarra, 60 miles north of Baghdad.

Three fuel trucks and one transport truck were destroyed during the clash, Cargie added. No further details were available.

Iraq’s fuel lines have been targeted regularly by anti-US insurgents and other thieves wanting to steal the vital reserves or sabotage the pipes since coalition forces invaded Iraq.