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US Airstrike "Hits Primary School" in Diyala
Report: Helicopter's Missile Kills Seven Children and Injures Three
Photo by Patrick Baz/AFP. US Army Blackhawk helicopters fly over Baghdad at sunset, 28 March 2007.
A US helicopter struck a primary school in Diyala province on Tuesday, killing seven children and injuring three more, Voices of Iraq reports.
A U.S. chopper shelled on Tuesday a primary school in Mindli town, killing seven students and injuring three others, eyewitnesses and medical sources said.
"The Mindli hospital received seven bodies and three wounded of a primary school's students," a medical source told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI) over the phone.
"A U.S. helicopter shelled Al-Saada primary school, killing seven students and injuring three," the source said, adding no further details.
An eyewitness confirmed the news by saying that "a U.S. chopper bombarded the school while students and teachers were still there and the blasts rattled the town. We rushed to the scene to rescue victims."
The U.S. miltiary has not commented on the incident directly except to say that there was "helicopter activity" in the area and that it is investigating the events, the BBC reports.
According to an Iraqi policeman, the helicopter took fire from the ground and hit the school with its return fire, the BBC reports.
Diyala province in Iraq. At least 7 school children are dead and 3 more injured after a United States military helicopter opened fire on a school in the Diyala province of Iraq. The helicopter was supposed to be firing upon militants located near the school.

"A U.S. helicopter shelled Al-Saada primary school, killing seven students and injuring three. The Mindli hospital received seven bodies and three wounded of a primary school's students," said an unnamed hospital official in Iraq. 

According to reports by Baghdad police, militants on the ground began to fire at the helicopter. The helicopter then returned fire, hitting the school in the process.

Lt. Col. Chris Garver, a spokesman for the U.S. military in Iraq said that an investigation was going to be conducted and that the incident is being taken seriously. Garver also said that the soldiers in the helicopter attempted to do whatever they could to avoid civilian deaths.