The Canicatti slaughter was a war crime committed by Allied forces during the invasion of Sicily in July, 1943, in which at least a dozen of unarmed Italian civilians, including six children, were killed by US troops under the command of General George Patton. The town of Canicatti had already surrendered when US troops had entered, following heavy German bombardment during their withdrawl. Civilians had been rounded up and herded into a bombed soap factory where they were shot by US soldiers. The incident was covered up fearing that it may lead to reprisals from the civilian population.
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