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The insurgents' ranks have been boosted by frustration at the U.S. occupation, a growing number of shootings of Iraqi civilians by troops and foreign contractors, and by abuse of prisoners in U.S.-manned jails.
An aide to Planning Minister Mehdi al-Hafedh said on Thursday that foreign security guards, not assassins, opened fire on him in Baghdad on Wednesday.
Hafedh, a key figure in efforts to rebuild the country, escaped injury as he was driving to the house of former foreign minister Adnan Pachachi, but two of his guards were killed and one was wounded.
Police initially said the shooting had been an attempt to assassinate the minister. They later said it appeared to have been a mistake by foreign security guards.
"I don't know why they attacked. An investigation is just starting," a Planning Ministry official said.
Residents said the foreign guards worked for a Western company in Mansour, a once affluent area of the capital.
There are about 20,000 foreign private guards in Iraq, earning large salaries protecting foreign companies, Iraqi facilities and media organizations.
Calls are growing to regulate their presence as more civilians are killed in error, matching demands for U.S. troops to make clear the rules of engagement at checkpoints after dozens of Iraqis and foreigners have been shot at.
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi told Rome's Senate on Wednesday that America had to take responsibility for the killing of secret agent Nicola Calipari, who was shot by U.S. troops at a checkpoint. He had helped free journalist Giuliana Sgrena, who had been taken hostage in Iraq. She was wounded.
The U.S. military said it had not been informed that Calipari was heading to the airport and his car ignored signals to slow down as it sped toward a checkpoint. Italy disputes that account.
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MINISTER ATTACKED BY CONTRACTORS - 
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