Iraqi general shot dead by US troops at checkpoint west of Ramadi: police

Iraqi general shot dead by US troops at checkpoint west of Ramadi: police:

"RAMADI, Iraq - The deputy commander of the Iraqi army in western Al-Anbar province was shot dead by US troops at a checkpoint Tuesday night, a police officer said.

'The US forces opened fire at 8:00 pm (1700 GMT) on Brigadier General Ismail Swayed al-Obeid, who had left his base in Baghdadi to head home,' police Captain Amin al-Hitti said.

'They spotted him on the road after the curfew, which goes into effect at 6 pm,' the officer said in Baghdadi, 185 kilometres (142 miles) west of the capital.

No immediate reaction was available from the US military."