BAGHDAD (AP) – Iraq’s parliament speaker said an airstrike targeting the Islamic State-held town of Qaim in western Iraq near the Syrian border killed and wounded “dozens” of civilians, and that he is holding the Iraqi government responsible.
It was unclear if the airstrike was carried out by the Iraqi air force or the U.S.-led international coalition supporting the Baghdad government offensive against the Sunni extremist group. Anbar province and Iraqi Defense Ministry officials were not immediately available to comment.
Coalition spokesman U.S. Army Col. John Dorrian said on Twitter that he coalition did not conduct any strikes in the area around the time of the incident.
“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.
He described the incident as a “crime” and urged that the perpetrators “be punished.” Al-Jabouri did not provide specifics, or the breakdown of the casualties, but said he holds the Iraqi government responsible and demanded an immediate investigation. He also did not say how he came by the information.