Two helicopters shot down in Iraq since Saturday

[ProSense]

Helicopter shot down in Iraq; 5 killed

By KIM GAMEL, Associated Press Writer 2 hours, 41 minutes ago

BAGHDAD, Iraq - A helicopter owned by the private security firm Blackwater USA crashed Tuesday in central Baghdad, and five civilians were killed, a U.S. military official said. A senior Iraqi defense official said the aircraft was shot down over a predominantly Sunni neighborhood.

The Iraqi official, who would not allow use of his name because the information had not been made public, said a gunman with a PKC machine gun downed the small helicopter of a private security firm Tuesday afternoon over the heavily Sunni Fadhil neighborhood in north-central Baghdad, where witnesses reported clashes between insurgents and U.S. and Iraqi forces.

There were casualties, the official said, but would give no details.

In Washington, a U.S. military official said Blackwater representatives responded to the crash in central Baghdad, along with American military. The official, who demanded anonymity because the details have not been made public, said the cause of the crash was not known and that it was too early to tell if the crash was linked to the downing Saturday of a U.S. Army helicopter that killed a dozen U.S. troops.

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US 'copter in Iraq possibly shot down: US official

[Danieljay]

1. 5 "civilians" (mercinaries) were killed...wonder how many of these paid mercenaries have died

in addition to our troops?

[wishlist]

2. At least 250 American private contractors have been killed in Iraq

A couple of months ago I read that about 250 American contract workers had been killed including security (mercenary) personnel as well as air traffic control and firefighting personnel and various other support jobs.

Official records may show a lower number of confirmed deaths however US govt has acknowledged that record keeping of contractor casualties has not always been accurate and reliable from the beginning of the war.