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| US helicopter 'shot down' in Iraq | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A helicopter has gone down north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad killing two US troops, the US military has confirmed. | A helicopter has gone down north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad killing two US troops, the US military has confirmed. |
| The US did not say what caused the crash but witnesses said the helicopter was shot down, near a US air base at Taji, shortly after dawn. | The US did not say what caused the crash but witnesses said the helicopter was shot down, near a US air base at Taji, shortly after dawn. |
| Another helicopter was hit by gunfire but managed to fly away, they said. | Another helicopter was hit by gunfire but managed to fly away, they said. |
| Last month, 12 US soldiers died when a Black Hawk military helicopter crashed. The US has lost more than 50 military helicopters in Iraq since May 2003. | |
| Officially the Pentagon did not say what sort of helicopter had crashed or how, but a US defence official anonymously told the AFP news agency that it was a US Army AH-64 Apache and that "the initial report is that it was a shoot-down". | Officially the Pentagon did not say what sort of helicopter had crashed or how, but a US defence official anonymously told the AFP news agency that it was a US Army AH-64 Apache and that "the initial report is that it was a shoot-down". |
| Iraqi police and witnesses told the Associated Press that the crash occurred about 0730 (0430 GMT) as two Apaches were flying near Taji, a major US base about 20km (12 miles) north of Baghdad. | Iraqi police and witnesses told the Associated Press that the crash occurred about 0730 (0430 GMT) as two Apaches were flying near Taji, a major US base about 20km (12 miles) north of Baghdad. |
| While one escaped the other flew back to attack the source of the gunfire, but was hit, exploded and fell to earth. | While one escaped the other flew back to attack the source of the gunfire, but was hit, exploded and fell to earth. |
| Two-day battle | Two-day battle |
| Separately the US military said it had killed 18 insurgents in the Sunni flashpoint town of Ramadi in western Iraq. | Separately the US military said it had killed 18 insurgents in the Sunni flashpoint town of Ramadi in western Iraq. |
| It said US forces killed the insurgents over two days after troops there came under fire. | It said US forces killed the insurgents over two days after troops there came under fire. |
| Meanwhile Iraq authorities have declared a curfew in the Shia city of Najaf amid an upsurge of violence in the area. | Meanwhile Iraq authorities have declared a curfew in the Shia city of Najaf amid an upsurge of violence in the area. |
| Seventy-three people were killed and 167 injured in a double suicide bombing in nearby Hilla on Thursday. | Seventy-three people were killed and 167 injured in a double suicide bombing in nearby Hilla on Thursday. |
| Also, some 263 people were killed in clashes with US-backed Iraqi troops near Najaf earlier this week. | Also, some 263 people were killed in clashes with US-backed Iraqi troops near Najaf earlier this week. |