A US army soldier has been charged with premeditated murder in connection with the deaths of two civilians during the Iraq war.

A Joint Base Lewis-McChord release said that Sergeant 1st Class Michael Barbera was charged in connection with the 2007 killings. The charges stem from an investigation into the shootings of two people near the village of As Sadah in Diyala Province on 6 March 2007.

Officials say Barbera is currently assigned to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska. They say Barbera is not in pre-trial confinement, but is awaiting a transfer to the Washington state base.

While Barbera has been charged, the next step is an Article 32 investigation to decide if he should be court martialled. No date has been scheduled for the Article 32.