US forces fire missile at own vehicle

THE US military says an Apache helicopter has accidentally destroyed one of its own armoured vehicles in eastern Baghdad.

The accident left 2 US soldiers and three civilians injured, according to Iraqi police.

The US military says the incident occurred yesterday afternoon, when the helicopter spotted a group of four militants planting roadside bombs. It says a Hellfire missile hit the group, killing two gunmen.

Today’s statement says that a second Hellfire was then launched. But it missed its target and struck a US armoured vehicle instead.

Iraqi police confirm that a Humvee was set ablaze in the Mashtal area of eastern Baghdad. They say two US soldiers and three Iraqi civilians were wounded and that American troops immediately blocked off the neighbourhood.