US civilian officials have been barred from road travel in Iraq outside Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone because of possible attacks after a deadly shooting involving American security firm Blackwater.
In a statement seen by Reuters today and sent to Americans in Iraq, the US embassy in Baghdad said the temporary ban was imposed to reassess security procedures.
Blackwater, one of the biggest private security operators in Iraq, provides protection for the US embassy.
Iraq has said it would review the status of all security firms after what it called a "flagrant assault" by Blackwater contractors on Sunday in Baghdad in which 11 people were killed.
"In light of the serious security incident involving a US embassy protection detail ... the embassy has suspended official U.S. government civilian ground movements outside the International Zone (IZ) and throughout Iraq," the statement said.
"This suspension is in effect in order to assess mission security and procedures, as well as to assess a possible increased threat to personnel travelling with security details outside the International Zone."
The sprawling International Zone, also known as the Green Zone, houses the USand other Western embassies as well as many Iraqi government ministries.
Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said yesterday the cabinet had backed an Interior Ministry decision to "halt the licence" of Blackwater and launch an investigation.
The Interior Ministry has said the incident was sparked when Blackwater contractors opened fire indiscriminately after mortar rounds landed near to their convoy in western Baghdad on Sunday.