Iraqi troops wound 3 US soldiers

At least three US soldiers have been wounded after two Iraqi troopers opened fire on them during a training session in a US military base in Iraq.

Iraqi army and police sources say the incident took place in al-Ghazlani camp in southern Mosul, 390 km north of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.

“Two soldiers from Iraq’s 11th brigade, 3rd division, opened fire during training conducted by American forces inside a US military base and wounded three soldiers,” Reuters quoted an Iraqi military source as saying on the condition of anonymity.

“Until now, we don’t have any information on why the two Iraqi soldiers opened fire,” said a senior police official after confirming the incident.

Both Iraqi troopers had been detained, the sources said without further elaboration. The US military also confirmed the exchange of fire.

About 50,000 US troops remain in Iraq, mainly focusing on training Iraqi forces. A security accord between Baghdad and Washington requires that they be withdrawn by the end of 2011.

A recently released report by Iraq Body Count (IBC) indicated that violent civilian deaths have dramatically declined since the US ended its combat mission in the war-torn country.

The NGO that tracks casualties in the country said violent civilian deaths fell to 3,976 this year, marking the lowest annual level since the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.