Confusion over deadly Baghdad clash

The DAWN Group of Newspapers

There were conflicting reports Sunday of a fierce gunbattle south of Baghdad, which the Iraqi interior ministry's chief spokesman said had left more than 50 Al-Qaeda militants dead. A US military spokeswoman, Lt-Col Josslyn Aberle, initially confirmed the report. Overnight, however, the US military issued a second statement saying: "We received an update regarding the National Police incident. Multinational Brigade Baghdad reported no suspected Al-Qaeda were killed and eight were detained," it said. There was no explanation of the confusion between the two reports...

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