Reuters employees killed during Iraq battle: US military

BAGHDAD (AFP) - Two Iraqis working for the international news agency Reuters were killed during a gunbattle between US-led forces and militants in Baghdad, the US military said Friday.

A statement from US command said a firefight broke out when American and Iraqi troops came under small arms fire and rocket-propelled-grenade attack during a planned operation in eastern Baghdad.

"There is no question that coalition forces were clearly engaged in combat operations against a hostile force," said Lieutenant Colonel Scott Bleichwehl, spokesman for US forces in Baghdad.

Nine insurgents and two civilians were killed in the firefight, the military said, adding that "the two civilians were reported as employees for the Reuters news service."

Reuters' Iraqi photographer Namir Noor-Eldeen, 22, and driver Saeed Chmagh, 40, died as they were filming a minibus which was hit by some kind of shell or rocket, witnesses said Thursday.

Witnesses claimed a US helicopter had fired the missile, although a Reuters statement said the explosion could also have been caused by a mortar shell of the kind fired by militia fighters.

Iraqi medics and security officials said 13 people had been killed in the battle.