U.S. forces kill son of Iraqi governor

By Xinhua,

Beijing : U.S. forces shot the 17-year-old son and another relative of the governor of northern Iraq’s Salahuddin Province during a raid Sunday, local officials said.


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The U.S. military said it had shot two armed men but later it was found both were related to the governor.

Governor Hamad al-Qaisi’s brother, Lieutenant-Colonel Saad al-Qaisi, said U.S. troops stormed a house in the town of Beiji, where the governor’s son Hussam and his cousin were staying.

“They shot dead Hussam and wounded three others. This is barbaric,” Saad al-Qaisi said.

A U.S. military statement said its forces had wounded and captured an Al-Qaida financer in the house.

“As they entered the target building, coalition forces encountered two armed men. Perceiving hostile intent … they shot and killed the men. It was subsequently determined that the two … were related to the governor,” the statement said.

Saad al-Qaisi denied the military’s claim that the two young men were members of al Qaida in Iraq, saying it was highly unlikely any son of a provincial governor would be working for the Sunni militant group.

Local officials said Governor Hamad al-Qaisi had cut short a visit to Turkey because of the shooting.

“We demand an investigation into this incident,” Deputy Governor Abdullah Jabara said.

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