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U.S.
military command confirms helicopter in Iraq was
shot down
BAGHDAD,
January 13 (PL).- The U.S. military command in Iraq
has confirmed that the Apache helicopter that
crashed to the west of the capital today was shot
down by the resistance, according to a report by the
Qatari satellite channel, Al Jazeera.
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Not even the
vehicle’s 8mm steel armor-plating can save
those inside. (PHOTO: REUTERS) |
The TV network
cited a statement by Colonel William Darley, a U.S.
Army spokesman, in which he explained that
preliminary investigations confirm that the aircraft
was the target of enemy fire.
Darley informed
the press that the two crew members were unharmed in
the attack.
From the outset,
national news broadcasts had stated that this was
the latest attack by resistance fighters, who have
brought down several of the invaders’ helicopters
over the last 10 months, demonstrating their
effectiveness, level of organization and ability to
shoot down low-flying aircraft.
The helicopter
belonged to the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment and the
crash came just five days after resistance fighters
brought down a Black Hawk helicopter in the
turbulent city of Al Fallujah.
Nine of the
Pentagon’s military personnel lost their lives in
that attack. On January 2, an OH-58 was also hit by
a missile fired by opposition forces.
AFP also
reported that one U.S. soldier died and another two
were wounded this Monday when a convoy was hit by a
home-made device in the center of Baghdad. Meanwhile,
PL reported that the resistance attacked a convoy in
the city of Ramadi to the west of the capital.
According to Al
Jazeera, opposition fighters used a home-made bomb
and then opened fire using light weapons and rocket
launchers.
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