A US Army Black Hawk helicopter has been shot down in southern Iraq, killing seven of the 11 soldiers aboard, Pentagon officials said today. The helicopter was hit yesterday by small-arms fire near Kerbala, the site of fierce fighting between the army's 3rd Infantry Division and Iraqi troops, including Republican Guard forces. The four injured soldiers were rescued, military officials said.
In a separate incident, an American FA-18 Hornet jet is also reported to have crashed over Kerbala. Unconfirmed reports suggest that the Hornet was shot down by an Iraqi surface-to-air missile. The fate of the pilot is unknown.
Bless and remember all of them. |