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Baghdad: The Iraq and US governments have pledged a "fair and transparent" investigation into a deadly shootout involving a private security firm on Sunday.
The firefight, which led to the deaths of eight civilians, followed a car bomb explosion near a State Department motorcade.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki have agreed to investigate and hold accountable any wrongdoers, Maliki’s spokesman said.
The Iraqi government banned US security firm Blackwater USA and ordered its staff to leave Iraq immediately, except for the men involved who will have to stand trial.
On Sunday, Blackwater security guards "opened fire randomly at citizens" after a convoy carrying US officials came under attack, interior ministry officials said.
Eight people were killed and 13 others wounded in the shootout. Most of those killed were bystanders.
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