WASHINGTON, March 16 (Xinhuanet) -- The U.S. military has launched a criminal investigation into the deaths of 15 Iraqi civilians during a clash between American soldiers and insurgents in November last year, defense officials said Thursday.

    The probe was conducted by the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which is responsible for cases involving Marines, to determine the Marines involved acted appropriately in the incident.

    The incident in question took place in Haditha, near Baghdad, on Nov. 19, 2005, when a roadside bomb detonated near a U.S. military convoy and a subsequent exchange of gunfire between insurgents and American and Iraqi government soldiers killed one U.S. Marine, eight insurgents and 15 Iraqi civilians.

    The initial allegations of possible wrongdoing by U.S. Marines were brought to the attention of the military by a reporter in February, and a preliminary investigation was opened last month, the officials said.    Enditem