Baghdad - US forces shot dead six Iraqi security force personnel on Wednesday in a "friendly fire" incident in the town of Tarmiyah, 40 kilometres north of Baghdad, Iraqi police said.

The US forces mistook the victims - who were Iraqi soldiers, police officers and members of the Awakening Councils - for al-Qaeda militants, the Middle East News Agency (MENA)reported.

Ten Iraqis were also injured in the incident. (dpa)