A US soldier in Iraq today shot dead five of his fellow troops after apparently going on the rampage at an American base in Baghdad.
The killings, which were disclosed by Pentagon sources, all occurred at the American “Camp Liberty” near Baghdad International Airport this afternoon.
Military officials in Washington were unable to give any further immediate details and the circumstances surrounding the deaths are still under investigation.
The death toll was the highest for US personnel in a single attack since April 10, when a suicide truck driver killed five American soldiers with a blast near a police headquarters in the northern city of Mosul.
The killings will be a severe blow to US forces, which have suffered the death of more than 4,200 American service personnel in Iraq since the 2003 invasion.
They will also heighten concern about the psychological impact of the conflict on troops and follow a number of killings within the US by Iraq veterans, who have suffered mental problems as a result of their experiences in Iraq.
An official said the killings occurred in a “stress centre” at the US base. The soldier also died in the incident, although sources said it was unclear if someone else shot him or if he killed himself.
Three others were wounded in the incident.
The US military issued a news release saying only that five coalition soldiers were killed Monday in a shooting at Camp Liberty, but declined to give any further details. |