Thursday, May 17, 2007
Insurgents destroy helicopter, damage nine others
Security
(Middle East Online) - Insurgents destroyed a US military helicopter and damaged nine others in a mortar attack on a US airfield north of Baghdad, a US defense official said Wednesday. The attack, which occurred Sunday at a US air base at al-Taji but was not disclosed by the US military command in Baghdad, also wounded four US servicemembers, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
"One helicopter was destroyed and nine were damaged," said the official, who said that six of the damaged helicopters have been repaired and are "fully mission capable." Insurgents appeared to have targeted the aircraft rather than have struck them with random fire, the official said. "There was some counter-battery fire," the official said. Attacks have damaged aircraft in the past but the military has rarely, if ever, reported so many helicopters being hit in a single insurgent attack. At least two types of helicopter were damaged in the attack but the official would not say what they were.
"One helicopter was destroyed and nine were damaged," said the official, who said that six of the damaged helicopters have been repaired and are "fully mission capable." Insurgents appeared to have targeted the aircraft rather than have struck them with random fire, the official said. "There was some counter-battery fire," the official said. Attacks have damaged aircraft in the past but the military has rarely, if ever, reported so many helicopters being hit in a single insurgent attack. At least two types of helicopter were damaged in the attack but the official would not say what they were.
Labels: helicopters, insurgents, mortar attacks, Taji
