Baghdad, Nov 20: Iraqi troops detained 43 people, including an Indian, travelling in a convoy run by a US-contracted firm after an Iraqi woman was wounded in a shooting involving their vehicles in Baghdad, the military said.

It denied earlier reports that two Americans were among those arrested. He said two Fijians, 21 Sri Lankans, nine Nepalese, one Indian and 10 Iraqis were being held at an Iraqi army headquarters and coalition forces were dispatched to stay with them to ensure they receive proper treatment.

The incident follows a series of recent shootings in which foreign security guards have allegedly killed Iraqis. The convoy belonged to Almco, an international company based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, which has contracts with US-led forces to provide food, water and other life support functions to military transition teams, as well as the construction of a justice compound, Maj. Brad Leighton said.

But the military spokesman said it was not yet determined whether those detained were working on those contracts at the time of the incident or under the auspices of a contract with another agency in Iraq. Brig. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi, the chief Iraqi military spokesman in Baghdad, said the convoy was driving on the wrong side of the road in the central Baghdad neighborhood of Karradah when the woman was wounded in a shooting that took place about midday. He said those arrested included two American guards, along with 21 people from Sri Lanka, nine from Nepal and 10 Iraqis. But Leighton denied any Americans were involved .