WASHINGTON, Sept 5 (Reuters) - Three U.S. Marine officers have received administrative sanctions over the alleged massacre of Iraqi civilians in the town of Haditha in 2005, the Marine Corps said on Wednesday.

Maj. Gen. Richard Huck, Col. Stephen Davis and Col. Robert Sokoloski all received letters of censure for their responses to the killings in Haditha, the Marines said in a statement.

Lt. Gen James Mattis, a senior Marine general looking into the officers' conduct, concluded they did not intend to cover up the case or break military laws.

"He did determine that their actions, or inactions, demonstrated lack of due diligence on the part of senior commanders and staff," the statement said.

Iraqi witnesses say U.S. troops massacred two dozen unarmed men, women and children at Haditha on Nov. 19, 2005, in retaliation for the death of one of their comrades.

Lawyers for the defendants say the civilians died during a chaotic house-to-house battle in the western Iraqi town.

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