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US: Blackwater Security Firm Ends Operations in Baghdad


The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad has confirmed that the security firm once known as Blackwater Worldwide has finished its work in the Iraqi capital.

American embassy spokeswoman Susan Ziadeh said the company's task order ended Thursday, with the U.S. firm Triple Canopy providing future security for American government personnel working in Baghdad.

Ziadeh says the Blackwater company, now known as Xe, still has contracts in other areas of Iraq that are set to end soon.

The company recently lost its license to work in Iraq because of a shooting in 2007 that killed at least 14 Iraqi civilians. The firm claimed security guards opened fire on the civilians after being ambushed, but a U.S. investigation uncovered no evidence of an attack.

Five former Blackwater contractors have pleaded not guilty to charges of manslaughter in connection to the shootings. A sixth guard pleaded guilty in late 2007 to voluntary manslaughter and attempted manslaughter charges.


Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.

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