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US troops killed in northern Iraq ... have shot dead three Iraqi policemen by mistake in the northern Iraqi province of Kirkuk.
A US military statement described the incident as a tragic accident, which was sincerely regretted.
The soldiers are thought to have opened fire after feeling threatened when the police drove at high speed into an area which had been cordoned off.
A number of Iraqi police patrols have been hit by roadside bombs and car bombs in recent weeks.
US and Iraqi forces launched major security operation in the city of Kirkuk in November last year targeting alleged al-Qaeda in Iraq militants.
Three Iraqi policemen were killed and one was injured during the incident in Kirkuk province on Wednesday.
The US military says initial reports suggest the Iraqi police were responding to an unrelated request for assistance and entered the cordoned area at high speed.
"Coalition forces make every effort to engage only hostile threats and we sincerely regret when a tragic accident like this occurs," military spokeswoman, Specialist Megan Burmeister told Reuters.
(BBC)
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