thedrifter
02-02-07, 08:11 AM
Military investigating report of copter down
By Kim Gamel - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Feb 2, 2007 7:12:56 EST
BAGHDAD — The military said it was investigating reports that a U.S. helicopter went down Friday north of Baghdad, while U.S. forces said they killed 18 insurgents after coming under attack in a volatile city west of the capital.
Witnesses and police claimed that a helicopter had been shot down in the area surrounding Taji, an air base 12 miles north of Baghdad.
“I can confirm that we are looking into reports that a helicopter went down north of Baghdad,” U.S. military spokeswoman Lt. Col. Josslyn Aberle said.
Witnesses and local police said two helicopters were flying together when gunmen opened fire at 7:30 a.m., sending one of the aircraft plunging to the ground with a trail of smoke behind it.
Some witnesses described two helicopters going down, but police said only that the wreckage from one aircraft had been found near a fuel storage complex in the rural area of Mashhada, near Taji.
The area was sealed off by American forces and U.S. planes were flying overhead, witnesses said, but the reports couldn’t be independently confirmed.
Three helicopters have been lost in Iraq in the past two weeks, including an AH-64 Apache helicopter that went down Sunday during heavy fighting near Najaf, south of Baghdad, killing the two crew members, and a Black Hawk helicopter that crashed in Diyala province northeast of Baghdad, killing 12 soldiers aboard. Both were believed to have been shot down, but the military has not confirmed the cause of the crash as the investigation is ongoing.
The U.S. military relies heavily on air transportation in Iraq to avoid roadside bombs and insurgent attacks and the recent spate of losses underscores the dangers facing American troops as they prepare to step up security operations in the capital and surrounding areas.
U.S. forces, meanwhile, said 18 insurgents were killed in fighting Thursday night and Friday after insurgents opened fire on the Americans from several positions in Ramadi, 70 miles west of Baghdad, the military said. No civilian or U.S. casualties were reported in either attack, the military said
Ellie
By Kim Gamel - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Feb 2, 2007 7:12:56 EST
BAGHDAD — The military said it was investigating reports that a U.S. helicopter went down Friday north of Baghdad, while U.S. forces said they killed 18 insurgents after coming under attack in a volatile city west of the capital.
Witnesses and police claimed that a helicopter had been shot down in the area surrounding Taji, an air base 12 miles north of Baghdad.
“I can confirm that we are looking into reports that a helicopter went down north of Baghdad,” U.S. military spokeswoman Lt. Col. Josslyn Aberle said.
Witnesses and local police said two helicopters were flying together when gunmen opened fire at 7:30 a.m., sending one of the aircraft plunging to the ground with a trail of smoke behind it.
Some witnesses described two helicopters going down, but police said only that the wreckage from one aircraft had been found near a fuel storage complex in the rural area of Mashhada, near Taji.
The area was sealed off by American forces and U.S. planes were flying overhead, witnesses said, but the reports couldn’t be independently confirmed.
Three helicopters have been lost in Iraq in the past two weeks, including an AH-64 Apache helicopter that went down Sunday during heavy fighting near Najaf, south of Baghdad, killing the two crew members, and a Black Hawk helicopter that crashed in Diyala province northeast of Baghdad, killing 12 soldiers aboard. Both were believed to have been shot down, but the military has not confirmed the cause of the crash as the investigation is ongoing.
The U.S. military relies heavily on air transportation in Iraq to avoid roadside bombs and insurgent attacks and the recent spate of losses underscores the dangers facing American troops as they prepare to step up security operations in the capital and surrounding areas.
U.S. forces, meanwhile, said 18 insurgents were killed in fighting Thursday night and Friday after insurgents opened fire on the Americans from several positions in Ramadi, 70 miles west of Baghdad, the military said. No civilian or U.S. casualties were reported in either attack, the military said
Ellie