'Six civilians' and militant killed in Iraq air strike

The US military says an air strike has destroyed a house in the southern city of Basra, killing a militant, but it does not have reports of civilian deaths.

The confirmation of yesterday’s air strike comes as Iraqi police in Basra claim that six civilians were killed and two others wounded in the attack.

The Iraqi police say the destroyed house is in Basra’s Shiite militia stronghold of Qibla, the site of some of the fiercest clashes during a government offensive in the city.

Lt David Russell, a US military spokesman, says coalition forces directed “aerial fires” against enemy forces to support Iraqi troops yesterday, killing one militant and destroying a house. But the military is not saying whether US or British aircraft were used.