An Iraqi soldier shot dead two US soldiers in the northern city of Mosul before being shot dead himself, according to sources, said the shooting took place during a joint patrol to inspect security procedures in Mosul. The US military considers Mosul the last urban al-Qaeda bastion in Iraq.
"There was an altercation, and up until now we don't know the reason of the altercation between the soldiers," Major General Mohammed al-Askari, a spokesman for the Iraqi defence ministry said.
Maj-Gen Askari identified the Iraqi soldier as Barazan Mohammed Abdullah al-Hadidi, 21, but did not provide any further information about him.
An official in Iraq's interior ministry said "a US soldier slapped an Iraqi soldier during the patrol and he opened fire in response".
But Major General Mark Hertling, the commander of US-led forces in northern Iraq, said the shooting occurred in the courtyard of an Iraqi army base where the soldiers were waiting for a meeting to end.
"There was no argument," he said. "There was no spitting or cursing between the individuals. In fact there was not even a conversation between the Iraqi soldier who was shooting and the soldiers who were shot."
Maj-Gen Hertling said the shooter killed one US soldier immediately and shot another in the stomach. The second soldier later died of his wounds, and six other US soldiers were wounded.
He said Iraqi security officials apologised after the shooting and vowed to help in a joint investigation.
"There was an altercation, and up until now we don't know the reason of the altercation between the soldiers," Major General Mohammed al-Askari, a spokesman for the Iraqi defence ministry said.
Maj-Gen Askari identified the Iraqi soldier as Barazan Mohammed Abdullah al-Hadidi, 21, but did not provide any further information about him.
An official in Iraq's interior ministry said "a US soldier slapped an Iraqi soldier during the patrol and he opened fire in response".
But Major General Mark Hertling, the commander of US-led forces in northern Iraq, said the shooting occurred in the courtyard of an Iraqi army base where the soldiers were waiting for a meeting to end.
"There was no argument," he said. "There was no spitting or cursing between the individuals. In fact there was not even a conversation between the Iraqi soldier who was shooting and the soldiers who were shot."
Maj-Gen Hertling said the shooter killed one US soldier immediately and shot another in the stomach. The second soldier later died of his wounds, and six other US soldiers were wounded.
He said Iraqi security officials apologised after the shooting and vowed to help in a joint investigation.
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