Iraq to summon US, UK envoys over fatal airstrikes

BAGHDAD

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry announced on Friday that it would summon the ambassadors of the U.S. and U.K. following airstrikes by American warplanes that left six people dead.

"Foreign Minister [Mohamed Ali al-Hakim] ordered to summon the ambassadors of the United States and Britain to Baghdad," spokesman Ahmed al-Sahaf told reporters.

President Barham Salih condemned the killing of three Iraqi soldiers, two police officers and one civilian in a U.S. raid on the central Babil province.

In a statement, Salih denounced the "foreign bombing that targeted many locations inside the territory of Iraq and led to the martyrdom and wounding of members of the security forces along with civilians," adding that Baghdad considered the act "a violation of Iraq's national sovereignty".

Iraq's Joint Operations Command said in a statement that the country was subjected to a "blatant attack by American combat aircraft" in Babil province.

The U.S. Department of Defense issued a statement confirming the bombing of the sites of the Iraqi Hezbollah, saying it had "targeted weapons storage facilities in order to significantly reduce their ability to launch future attacks against coalition forces."

On Wednesday, Al-Taji military airbase, which houses U.S. forces, located 85 kilometers (53 miles) north of capital Baghdad, was targeted by 10 Katyusha rockets.

*Bassel Ibrahim contributed to this report from Ankara