Conflicting details emerge of gunmen, posing as soldiers, who killed 5 U.S. troops in Kerbala

Iraqi police and U.S. soldiers talk together at the Karbala police academy

New details emerged about clashes on Saturday in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, which left five Americans dead. Lt. Col. Scott R. Bleichwehl, an American military spokesman, said the gunmen who stormed the provincial governor’s office during a meeting between American and local officials were wearing what appeared to be American military uniforms in an effort to impersonate United States soldiers.

It is not uncommon for gunmen to impersonate Iraqi security forces, but this appears to be the first time that attackers have portrayed themselves as Americans.

Colonel Bleichwehl declined to provide further details about the Karbala attackers, emphasizing that the attack was still being investigated. But Iraqi officials said the gunmen disguised their intent with uniforms, American flak jackets, guns and a convoy of at least seven GMC sport utility vehicles, which are usually used by American officials in Iraq.

Karbala’s provincial governor, Akeel al-Khazaali, said at a news conference that the local police at a checkpoint on the city’s edge waved the vehicles through because they believed the convoy held important Americans. At other checkpoints, the police said, the vehicles sped through without stopping. In one case, some of the impersonators fired their weapons, and when they reached the provincial offices, they simply attacked.

The police in Babil said the disguises were imperfect — officers at checkpoints saw that the men were bearded, they said — but sufficient to get the gunmen through a crowded, heavily patrolled city without being stopped.

Police commanders in Babil Province, where the gunmen reportedly fled after the battle, said Sunday that several sport utility vehicles matching the description of those used in the attack were found there early in the morning. One sport utility vehicle had a sign on its back window warning drivers to stay back, in English and Arabic, the authorities said, a close copy of those used on some official American vehicles. They said a bag of civilian American clothing, guns and body armor had been found in the vehicles.

Some police commanders in Babil Province and Mr. Khazaali said that bodies of Americans were found in one of the vehicles, but American military officials said they were not missing anyone, and other police commanders in Babil said the men found in the vehicle were gunmen.

Mr. Khazaali said the four men found in the vehicle were Americans, either some of the five Americans killed, or additional unreported casualties. He also said at least one or two other American soldiers had been kidnapped. The Babil police commanders who reported finding the clothing also said the men appeared to be Americans.

Read the rest at the NY Times

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