U.S., Iraqi Forces Shoot at Syria Guards

[tocqueville]

U.S., Iraqi Forces Shoot at Syria Guards By ALBERT AJI, Associated Press Writer
6 minutes ago


DAMASCUS, Syria - Syria has complained that U.S. and Iraqi troops have mistakenly fired on its border guards even as they've tried to stop militants from infiltrating into Iraq.

The guards have been fired on "not only by infiltrators, but by U.S. and Iraqi forces," the government said the letter distributed to diplomatic mission chiefs in Damascus and seen Friday by The Associated Press.

The letter also said that it needs more U.S. help with the financing of night vision equipment to block the militants from crossing from Syria to Iraq.

It cited "about 100 armed clashes, some of which were carried out by American soldiers who opened fire randomly on those present near the (sand) barrier."

In June, Syria's Information Ministry said 15 border guards had been killed either by outlaws crossing the border or by fire from U.S. troops who apparently mistook the Syrians for infiltrators.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050722/ap_on_re_mi_ea/syria_iraq_us