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Six Dead In U.S. Military Accident In Kuwait
KUWAIT CITY, March 12 (News Agencies) - Six military personnel, including five Americans, were killed late Monday when a bomb dropped by a U.S. fighter during an exercise in northern Kuwait exploded, Kuwait's defense ministry announced.
"Six military personnel, including five Americans and one New Zealander, were killed and seven others injured Monday night in northern Kuwait when a US F-18 fighter accidentally dropped a bomb on U.S. troops", said a ministry statement quoted by state television.
"Among the seven injured were five Americans and two Kuwaitis", the defense ministry added.
Kuwaiti army spokesman Colonel Ahmed al-Rahmani told Kuwaiti television: "The condition of some of the injured is stable, but the others are in the military hospital's operating theatre."
State television said Kuwaiti Defense Minister Jaber al-Hamad al-Sabah had visited the injured in hospital.
President George W. Bush held a brief moment of silence for U.S. troops killed in the incident.
"I'm reminded today of how dangerous service can be: we lost some servicemen today in Kuwait in a training accident. I hope you'll join me in a moment of silence for those soldiers and their families," Bush said in a speech in Panama City, Florida.
The troops were taking part in a coalition exercise on the al-Udairi training range in Kuwait when they were hit by a single 500-pound unguided bomb dropped by an F/A-18 Hornet from the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman in the Gulf, the officials said.
Pentagon spokesman Lieutenant Colonel David Lapan said the bombing had been called for as part of a close air support exercise.
"Obviously the bomb didn't hit where it was intended to," he said.
He said it was believed to be a 500-pound Mark-82 unguided "dumb" bomb, which would have been visually targeted.
Lieutenant Colonel Joe Lamarca, a spokesman for the U.S. Central Command, said the accident occurred at around 1600 GMT at the Al-Udairi range.
"There were 16 confirmed casualties, which include dead and injured," he said.
Kuwaiti, British, and New Zealand forces were taking part the exercise, he said. "We don't know the extent they were involved in today's exercise and training," he said.
U.S. forces regularly train at the al-Udairi range in the Kuwait desert, rotating through from bases in the United States.
There were about 4,500 U.S. troops in Kuwait last fall, but the number fluctuates daily, Pentagon officials said.
In Auckland, a defense official said a New Zealand military official was among the people killed.
"All we can do is confirm that there has been a death and it is a New Zealander," Defense spokesman John Seward said. "There will be a statement issued as soon as one can be prepared and issued."
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