US helicopter shot down in Iraq

Guerillas shot down a US military helicopter in central Iraq yesterday, killing one pilot and injuring another, while ethnic tensions flared again in the northern city of Kirkuk, leading to at least one death.

In Baghdad, hundreds of people held an angry demonstration following a military raid on a mosque during which they say the Koran was defiled.

The US Central Command said the OH-58 Kiowa observation helicopter was brought down by enemy fire about 50 kilometres west of Baghdad near the volatile town of Falluja. A policeman who saw the crash said the helicopter was hit by a missile. "We were in a joint patrol with US troops to remove landmines and I saw a helicopter hovering in the sky which was hit by a missile," policeman Mohammad Abdul Aziz said.

"It was split into two and went down in flames." Reuters television pictures showed pieces of the aircraft scattered across a ploughed field.

US forces cordoned off the area as helicopters flew overhead keeping watch. Insurgents have shot down several US helicopters in recent months, including three Black Hawks and a Chinook transporter in November, killing a total of 39 US soldiers.

Falluja is at the heart of the so-called Sunni triangle, a region north and west of Baghdad, which has seen near-constant attacks on US forces since Saddam Hussein's toppling in April. US officials blame insurgents loyal to the former regime.

The latest death brings to 328 the number of US servicemen killed in action since the invasion of Iraq in March.

In Kirkuk, at least one man was killed and another was wounded overnight as police and protesters clashed in the ethnically divided city where Kurds, Arabs and Turkish-speaking Turkilometresen are all bidding for more political say.

Earlier this week, at least five people were killed when gunfire erupted as Turkilometresens and Arabs faced off with the mainly Kurdish police during a protest against a plan to include Kirkuk in a Kurdish administrative unit.

US helicopters downed in Iraq since May 1

Guerillas shot down a US military helicopter in central Iraq yesterday, killing one pilot and injuring another, officials and witnesses said.

The OH-58 observation chopper crashed around 12.20 p.m. (0920 GMT) in Falluja, west of Baghdad, after it came under enemy fire, the US Central Command said.

Following is a list of previous US helicopters which have been brought down since President George W. Bush declared major combat over on May 1.

June 12 - An AH-64 Apache helicopter shot down by hostile fire in western Iraq, crew unharmed. A senior US commander declined to say whether the Apache was shot down.

Oct 25 - A Black Hawk helicopter downed by a rocket-propelled grenade near the 4th Infantry Division's base in Tikrit in northern Iraq, wounding one soldier.

Nov 2 - A Chinook helicopter shot down by insurgents near the town of Falluja. Sixteen US troops are killed and 21 on board are injured.

Nov 7 - A US Black Hawk helicopter brought down near Tikrit, probably hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. All six people aboard are killed.

Nov 15 - Two Black Hawk helicopters collide and crash under fire, killing 17 soldiers in the bloodiest single incident for US forces since they invaded Iraq in March.

Dec 9 - An OH-58 Kiowa observation helicopter crashes near Falluja after coming under fire. Both crew walk away with minimal injuries.

Jan 2, 2004 - Guerillas shoot down a US military OH-58 observation helicopter in central Iraq, killing one pilot and injuring another.