Fallujah, Iraq: At least seven civilians and two Iraqi soldiers were killed on Wednesday when shooting broke out after a joint US-Iraqi raid in the Sunni Arab former rebel base of Fallujah.

The raid was the latest sign that, while Washington declared an official end to combat in Iraq on September 1, US troops are continuing to fight.

The shooting occurred on Wednesday morning in the Jbeil neighbourhood of central Fallujah, which has long been a base for Sunni fighters, who waged an insurgency against US troops and the Iraqi government.

A US military spokesman confirmed that an "incident" had occurred in the city, west of Baghdad, and added that an investigation would be started, but declined to give further details. He confirmed at least one fatality however.

"A joint force from Baghdad was ordered to raid a terrorist's house in Jbeil," said Major General Baha Hussain Al Karkhi, police chief for the Anbar province. “Clashes took place when the terrorists fired at the troops. Civilians were caught in the crossfire. Seven were killed and four wounded. In addition to the seven [civilians] killed, two Iraqi soldiers were also killed in the clashes."

A vehicle ban was imposed on the city as a result and the area cordoned off.

Fallujah police chief Brigadier General Faisal Al Essawi said five houses had been raided. He added that eight civilians, including two women, two children and a former colonel in the Iraqi army who had served during the rule of Saddam Hussain.

Fallujah media chief Mohammad Fat’hi confirmed that eight people had died in the fighting.

Dr Omar Al Delli at Fallujah hospital said four bodies had so far been recovered.

US forces say combat operations in Iraq concluded at the end of August, but nearly 50,000 soldiers have remained in the country to train Iraqi soldiers and police, and conduct joint counter-terror operations. They are allowed to fire their weapons in self-defence.

Since the September 1 declaration, US troops have shot at insurgents in Baghdad and the Diyala province, north of the capital, and two American soldiers were killed by an Iraqi comrade after a row on an Iraqi base.
Violence has also increased in recent months, with July and August recording two of the highest monthly death tolls since 2008, according to Iraqi government figures.