Iraq?s new government on Thursday launched an investigation into the alleged killing of up to 24 civilians in the town of Haditha by US marines last year.
The Pentagon has already launched its own inquiry, but the government probe will also look into other allegations of misconduct by the US-led forces in Iraq and at the way troops behave toward the civilian population after they have come under attack.
The inquiry comes as prime minister Nuri al-Maliki attempts to assert his government?s authority over security issues in the country. On Wednesday he announced a state of emergency in the southern city of Basra.
On Friday he signalled his concern over the events in Haditha, a town in a predominantly Sunni Muslim area north-west of Baghdad, saying: ?We cannot forgive violations of the dignity of the Iraqi people.?
In the wake of the Haditha incident, the US generals in charge of the multinational forces in Iraq (MNFI) yesterday ordered all troops to review their training on core ethical and moral values for the battlefield. The spokesman for the MNFI, Maj Gen Bill Caldwell, said in Baghdad that all personnel would look again at training that they had already received before coming to Iraq.
The Iraqi government investigation will be carried out jointly by the ministries of justice and human rights along with security officials, said one of the prime minister?s advisers.
He said a mechanism should be devised for American and Iraqi troops? response in case they come under attack.
The Haditha incident happened in November last year after an American convoy was ambushed near the town in the Anbar region and one marine was killed. After the attack, marines allegedly went on a rampage, going into houses and killing unarmed civilians, including women and babies. There are also allegations that the events were subsequently covered up.
The MNFI spokesman defended the record of the US-led troops in Iraq, saying that ?99.9 per cent of all men and women? in the forces adhere to the highest standards and any violations will be punished. He said that apart from Haditha, there were several investigations taking place into alleged misconduct, but did not specify them.
Maj Gen Caldwell praised the new government?s firm stance and said that he had noticed a ?shift? in the last two weeks, with the Iraqi army and security forces taking ?greater control?.
