A former US soldier has been arrested on charges of raping an Iraqi woman and killing her and three members of her family. The incident took place in the town of Mahmudiyah in March. According to prosecutors, former Private First Class Steven Green broke into the family’s home and killed the woman’s parents and young sister. Green and another soldier allegedly raped the woman, shot her, and then set her body on fire in an apparent effort to cover up the crime. The woman’s name was Abeer Qasim Hamza. The military reported her age as twenty, but locals say she was fifteen. Neighbors told investigators Abeer Qasim Hamza had expressed concerns to her mother because the soldiers had made advances towards her before. The case marks the fifth in recent weeks in which US troops have been charged with committing atrocities in Iraq.

• Baghdad resident Ahmed Hammed: “It is a heinous act and Iraqis should stand against it. The Iraqi government should take a clear stand and put an end to the Americans’ degrading acts against the Iraqi people.”

Four other active soldiers are being held pending the outcome of a military probe.

• General Peter Pace, Chair of the Joints Chiefs of Staff: “If there are those who have done things as they’ve been accused of we will get to the bottom of it, we will do the investigations, we will find out what the truth is and if necessary we’ll take those who deserve to be taken to court, to court, so they can have their day in court.”