Five Iraqis, including three children, were killed, and two others wounded Friday when U.S. forces fired at a car approaching a checkpoint north of Baghdad. The mother of the children told Arab media services that U.S. forces fired into the car for no reason.

Another Iraqi man was killed in Ramadi when he approached a checkpoint.

Iraqi civilians have accused U.S. forces of being trigger-happy and nervous, often firing sporadically into homes and crowds especially after they come under attack.

Human rights organizations in Iraq have made the same charge accusing the U.S. military of excessive force and often indiscriminant fire.

To date, 259 U.S. military service personnel and 43 British military personnel have died in Iraq.

YellowTimes.org correspondent Firas Al-Atraqchi drafted this report.