US fails to probe civilian deaths in Iraq: HRW

The 56-page report, "Hearts and Minds: Post-War Civilian Casualties in Baghdad by US Forces," confirmed 20 civilian deaths in Baghdad between May 1 and September 30.

The New York-based rights watchdog said it had collected credible reports of 94 civilian deaths in the Iraqi capital, involving "questionable legal circumstances" that warrant investigation.

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The US military has not released any figures on the number of civilians killed by occupational forces since an end to major combat operations was declared by President George W. Bush on May 1.

"It's a tragedy that US soldiers have killed so many civilians in Baghdad," said Joe Stork, acting executive director of the Middle East and North Africa division at Human Rights Watch.

"But it's really incredible that the US military does not even count these deaths. Any time US forces kill an Iraqi civilian in questionable circumstances, they should investigate the incident," Stork said.

Last month, the human rights group Amnesty International condemned what it claimed was a virtual licence for occupying troops to kill in Iraq, with no proper probes into civilians killed by US soldiers.

The issue has also been the source of some friction between members of the interim Iraqi Governing Council and the US occupation authorities.

According to Human Rights Watch, the US military says it has concluded five investigations above the division level, ordered by the deputy commanding general, into alleged unlawful deaths.

Of these, soldiers were found to have operated "within the rules of engagement" in four cases. In the fifth case, two soldiers face disciplinary action for provoking a violent clash by trying to tear down a Shiite banner.

After conducting its own investigation into two of the five cases, Human Rights Watch said it had found evidence to suggest that soldiers had used excessive force, including shooting a person who had his hands in the air.