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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| US helicopter 'shot down' in Iraq | US helicopter 'shot down' in Iraq |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A US helicopter has come down in southern Iraq after apparently coming under heavy fire from insurgents, according to reports by witnesses. | A US helicopter has come down in southern Iraq after apparently coming under heavy fire from insurgents, according to reports by witnesses. |
| They said the helicopter came under attack near Latifiya, 40km (25 miles) south of the capital, Baghdad. | They said the helicopter came under attack near Latifiya, 40km (25 miles) south of the capital, Baghdad. |
| The US military confirmed a helicopter had gone down with four people injured. But it did not specify the cause. | |
| The US has lost more than 50 military helicopters in Iraq since the invasion with the loss of a number of soldiers. | |
| A major security operation in Baghdad has resulted in a decrease in the number of attacks on coalition troops there, the US military says. | A major security operation in Baghdad has resulted in a decrease in the number of attacks on coalition troops there, the US military says. |
| However, the deaths of eight coalition soldiers were announced on Thursday - four British and four American. | However, the deaths of eight coalition soldiers were announced on Thursday - four British and four American. |
| I saw the helicopter move right and left before landing hard. It did not explode Eyewitness Bomb kills UK soldiers | I saw the helicopter move right and left before landing hard. It did not explode Eyewitness Bomb kills UK soldiers |
| The British soldiers were killed in a roadside bomb attack on the western edge of Basra city in southern Iraq. | The British soldiers were killed in a roadside bomb attack on the western edge of Basra city in southern Iraq. |
| A civilian interpreter was also killed - his nationality has not been confirmed. | A civilian interpreter was also killed - his nationality has not been confirmed. |
| And the US troops died in two separate incidents in Baghdad on Wednesday. | And the US troops died in two separate incidents in Baghdad on Wednesday. |
| Pattern study? | Pattern study? |
| At the site of the helicopter crash, witnesses described hearing weapons fire from the ground. | |
| "I saw a helicopter in the sky, then I heard heavy gunfire," said one witness, quoted by Reuters news agency. | "I saw a helicopter in the sky, then I heard heavy gunfire," said one witness, quoted by Reuters news agency. |
| "I saw the helicopter move right and left before landing hard. It did not explode." | "I saw the helicopter move right and left before landing hard. It did not explode." |
| An unnamed Iraqi official said the militants were apparently using an anti-aircraft machine gun. | |
| At least nine US helicopters have crashed or been brought down by insurgent attacks in Iraq this year alone. | At least nine US helicopters have crashed or been brought down by insurgent attacks in Iraq this year alone. |
| The attacks have raised fears that insurgents may be studying flight patterns or may have acquired more advanced weapons. | The attacks have raised fears that insurgents may be studying flight patterns or may have acquired more advanced weapons. |