US helicopter shot down over Iraq

An American military helicopter was shot down west of Baghdad today, killing the pilot and wounding another soldier, the US military said.

An American military helicopter was shot down west of Baghdad today, killing the pilot and wounding another soldier, the US military said.

The OH-58 Kiowa Warrior observation helicopter crashed near Fallujah where rebels have previously shot at and brought down US helicopters.

Following the crash, American. soldiers swept through Fallujah, blocking off streets and searching shops and homes as helicopters circled above. Soldiers also sealed off the crash scene and would not allow reporters to approach the downed helicopter.

A witness told Associated Press Television News that he had seen the helicopter crash and burst into flames, though he could not say what caused the crash.

On 9 December, another Kiowa Warrior made an emergency landing and was set ablaze in Fallujah, apparently after it was downed by small-arms fire or a projectile fired from the ground, the military said. The Kiowa Warrior is an armed reconnaissance aircraft often seen in the skies over Iraq's cities.

A day later, an Apache helicopter crash-landed near the northern city of Mosul, and US soldiers said it might have been hit by ground fire. No one was injured.