KurdistanObserver.com

US Military Apologises: Dormitory Hit By Mistake

Peyamner-January 6, 2005- Hitting the student dormitory in Irbil was not a planned operation and was carried out “mistakenly,” US commander of the Coalition Forces, General Carter Ham told the Kurdish authorities in Irbil Thursday. The announcement came after General Ham made a visit to the KDP stronghold of Salahaddin north of the Kurdish capital where he met with the KDP leader Massoud Barzani.

Kurdish aides said here that General Ham delivered his apologies on behalf of the Coalition Forces in the region stressing that the incident was not planned in advance and that the student house came under fire by mistake. General Ham also expressed his gratitude towards the Kurdish forces who the General praised for not letting the incident escalate and restored control rapidly.

There were no reports on possible compensation to the injured students whose number Kurdish police Wednesday evening said was 3 students and a pedestrian.