Airstrike kills, wounds dozens in Qaim, Iraq

An air raid struck ISIS-held town Qaim in western Iraq near the Syrian border, killing and wounding dozens.


The Iraqi army, and the international US-led coalition have been seperately accused of carrying out the airstrike.

The raid targeted a market place during rush hour, causing the death of entire families, some of whom were lining up to receive their salaries, an eyewitness reported.

The member of the Security and Defense Committee in Parliament, Mohammad al-Karbouli, said it was unclear who was responsible for the attack.

The head of the Iraqi parliament, Salim al-Jabouri, referred to the incident as a “crime” and that the perpetrators should be held accountable.

"The airstrike hit unarmed civilians in shopping centers in Qaim and caused the killing and wounding of dozens of them," speaker Salim al-Jabouri said in a statement late Wednesday.

A spokesman for the US coalition denied the charge, stressing that the coalition did not launch a raid on the area at the time.

On the other hand, there has been no immediate comment from the Iraqi Joint Operations Command overseeing the battle against al ISIS.
 [alarabiya.net]
8/12/16
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