US air strike kills two Shiite fighters in Baghdad bastion

0 Comments | AFP, April, 2008

BAGHDAD (AFP) — A missile fired from a US unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) killed two Shiite militiamen in Baghdad's Sadr City on Saturday, the American military said in a statement.

The UAV observed two "criminals" loading a machine gun into the trunk of a vehicle and later watched four others unload the gun as well as four more AK-47 assault rifles into the trunk of another vehicle, the statement said.

"The UAV followed and engaged that vehicle with a hellfire missile, destroying it and killing the two occupants," at around 3:30 pm (1230 GMT), the statement said.

The military said those killed were from Special Groups, a term it uses for militia groups allegedly trained, funded and armed by Iranian groups.

"We continue to conduct precision targeting...