Iraqi civilians believed dead in US strike: military

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Two Iraqi women and two children were believed to have been killed in a U.S. air strike aimed at al Qaeda militants north of Baghdad on Thursday, the U.S. military said.

Soldiers were searching buildings near Taji, 20 km (12 miles) north of Baghdad, for a car bomb network with links to al Qaeda when they came under small arms fire, a military statement said.

The soldiers called in an air strike and four insurgents were killed.

"Additionally, coalition forces believe that two women and two children were also killed during the strike," the statement said. "The bodies were left on the site."

No other details were immediately available.

"Unfortunately, al Qaeda in Iraq continues to use women and children in their illegal activities," U.S. military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Christopher Garver said in the statement.

The military said explosives and weapons were also found in the building.

The U.S. military rarely admits killing Iraqi civilians in strikes against suspected insurgents. It says insurgents often place women and children in harm's way with their activities.