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Guards linked to new Iraq deaths Security guards fire on Iraqi car
(40 minutes later)
Foreign private security guards escorting a convoy through central Baghdad have killed two Iraqi women in a passing car, local sources say. Foreign private security guards escorting a convoy through central Baghdad have killed two Iraqi women in a passing car, Iraqi sources say.
The security firm was not named but Iraqi police say they were definitely foreign and one policeman likened them to "gangsters riding away". A Dubai-based firm confirmed one of its teams had opened fire after a car failed to heed warnings to pull away, and said it regretted the deaths.
An Iraqi report on Monday accused US firm Blackwater of deliberately firing on civilians last month, killing 17. One Iraqi policeman likened the guards to "gangsters riding away".
Tuesday's violence appeared to involve a different firm, an Iraqi source said. The conduct of Western security firms in Iraq is already in question after a shooting in Baghdad last month.
The deaths will further inflame the debate about the conduct of Western security personnel in Iraq, the BBC's Jon Brain reports from Baghdad. 'Warnings, then shots'
Christian victims In a statement released to the BBC News website, Unity Resources Group said it was aware of a shooting incident involving one of its security teams.
The latest shooting happened in the Karada district, an area considered one of the safest in the city, our correspondent notes. Our security team was approached at speed by a vehicle which failed to stop despite an escalation of warnings Unity Resources Group
[Dead Iraqi driver Marou Awanis] was a part-time taxi-driver trying to make ends meet and to pay for the education of her two children Abu Mairam relative of victim "The first information that we have is that our security team was approached at speed by a vehicle which failed to stop despite an escalation of warnings which included hand signals and a signal flare," the Dubai-based firm said.
"Finally shots were fired at the vehicle and it stopped."
Unity was, it added, "working with the Iraqi authorities" to investigate the outcome of the incident, and would pass on any further information once the facts had been verified.
The latest shooting happened in the Karada district, an area considered one of the safest in the city, the BBC's Jon Brain reports from Baghdad.
Women and children
According to eyewitnesses, the masked security guards threw a smoke bomb and opened fire on a car which was driving close to the four-vehicle convoy they were protecting.According to eyewitnesses, the masked security guards threw a smoke bomb and opened fire on a car which was driving close to the four-vehicle convoy they were protecting.
[Dead Iraqi driver Marou Awanis] was a part-time taxi-driver trying to make ends meet Abu Mairam Relative of victim
Two women in the car were killed and a third was injured.Two women in the car were killed and a third was injured.
One eyewitness, shopkeeper Ammar Fallah, said the guards had signalled for the car's woman driver to pull over as they passed.One eyewitness, shopkeeper Ammar Fallah, said the guards had signalled for the car's woman driver to pull over as they passed.
"When she failed to do so they opened fire, killing her and the woman next to her," he told AFP news agency."When she failed to do so they opened fire, killing her and the woman next to her," he told AFP news agency.
"There were two children in the back seat but they were not harmed. The women were both shot in the head.""There were two children in the back seat but they were not harmed. The women were both shot in the head."
Relatives at a local police station identified the dead women as Marou Awanis, 48, and Geneva Jalal, 30, both members of Iraq's small Christian minority.Relatives at a local police station identified the dead women as Marou Awanis, 48, and Geneva Jalal, 30, both members of Iraq's small Christian minority.
Attacks on Western convoys in Iraq are usually carried out by Muslim insurgent groups. Marou Awanis was a widowed "part-time taxi-driver trying to make ends meet and to pay for the education of her two children", relative Abu Mairam told AFP news agency.
Marou Awanis was a widowed "part-time taxi-driver trying to make ends meet and to pay for the education of her two children", relative Abu Mairam told AFP news agency , his eyes red from crying.
Inquiry launchedInquiry launched
The guards' vehicle was unmarked and it has not yet been established who they were working for or their nationality. Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said an investigation was under way into the incident.
Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said an investigation was under way "to find which security company it was".
A US embassy spokeswoman quoted by Reuters news agency said the convoy had not been carrying its staff.A US embassy spokeswoman quoted by Reuters news agency said the convoy had not been carrying its staff.
On Monday, the Iraqi government demanded that Blackwater pay $8m (£3.9m) compensation to each family bereaved by last month's shootings. On Monday, the Iraqi government demanded that the US security firm Blackwater pay $8m (£3.9m) compensation to each family bereaved by last month's shootings in Baghdad, which killed 17 people.
Blackwater has the contract for guarding US embassy staff in Baghdad and is also used both by visiting businesspeople and officials. Blackwater has the contract for guarding US embassy staff and is also used both by visiting businesspeople and officials.
It insists its staff were acting in legitimate self-defence in last month's shooting, and that they had come under fire from insurgents. It insists its staff were acting in legitimate self-defence, and that they had come under fire from insurgents.
Iraq's government is demanding the US end its association with Blackwater and has vowed to put such firms under Iraqi jurisdiction.Iraq's government is demanding the US end its association with Blackwater and has vowed to put such firms under Iraqi jurisdiction.