Baghdad  - A female pilgrim died of gunshot wounds on Sunday, a day after US forces "unintentionally" fired their weapons in southern Iraq. A second pilgrim was shot at the time.

A statement on the website of the Multi-National Forces in Iraq said the two Iraqis were shot after US soldiers "unintentionally" fired their guns on Saturday in the Iraqi province of Diwaniyah, 200 kilometres south of Baghdad.

But the statement stopped short of accepting responsibility for the civilian casualties.

"It is unclear whether the weapons discharge and injuries are directly connected," the statement said.

Local media reported that the man and woman were pilgrims walking to the southern province of Karabla, 100 kilometres south of Baghdad, to attend "the Arbaine of the Imam Hussein," an important holy day in the Shiite religious calendar.

"Arbaine," or "forty" in Arabic, marks the 40th day after the Shiite holy day of Ashura, when the Prophet Mohammed's grandson, Hussein, was killed in the Battle of Karbala
1,329 years ago. His death denied him the leadership of the expanding empire that Shiites believe was his due.

Millions of Shiites wear black on the Arbaine and march to Karbala to mourn Hussein's death.

Securing the religious ceremony, when emotions run high and which has special importance in the divide between Sunni and Shiite Islam, remains a challenge for Iraqi and international forces. dpa