US troops killed 7 Iraqi women and children
( 2003-04-01 07:54 ) (7 )

The US Army announced Monday night that seven women and children were killed Monday afternoon by American soldiers after a vehicle in which they were riding failed to stop after troops waved them down and fired warning shorts.

The Army said a full investigation of the incident was under way.

It was the first known incident since the start of the war of Iraqi civilians dying as direct result of American gunfire.

In the aftermath of the attack on March 29, when four soldiers of the Third Infantry Division were killed in a a car bomb explosion at a unit check point, the United States Military has warned troops in Iraq and Kuwait of possible terrorist acts against soldiers and marines, including suicide bombers. Soldiers have been especially warned to be careful at checkpoints as cars approach them.

The Army said that at 4:30 p.m. local time, a civilian vehicle approached a military checkpoint near the town of An Najaf on Route 9, about 100 miles south of Baghdad.

The incident involved soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Division, which is bearing the brunt of the Army's ground war.

The Army said soldiers at the checkpoint motioned for the vehicle to stop but were ignored. The soldiers then fired warning shots, which was also ignored by the driver, the Army said.

The soldiers then fired shots into the engine of the vehicle, "but the vehicle kept moving toward the checkpoint," the Army said.

"Finally, as a last resort, the soldiers fired into the passenger compartment of the vehicle," the Army statement said.

The Army said that upon further investigation, it was determined that 13 women and children were in the vehicle. Seven of the occupants were killed, two were wounded and four were unharmed, the Army said.

No other details were immediately available.