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BAGHDAD - All seven US troops aboard a military helicopter were killed when it crashed near Baghdad on Wednesday, the fifth such aircraft to be lost in Iraq in less than three weeks, a US defence official said.
"I can tell you that the initial report was seven," the official in Washington said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The official did not say what caused the crash, but Iraqi witnesses reported seeing the helicopter in trouble during gunfire from the ground.
Five such aircraft have been lost in Iraq in nearly three weeks, killing 28 US servicemen and private security contractors. The US military said on Sunday it was adjusting its tactics after four helicopters had been shot down.
The high number lost in such a short time has raised questions about whether militants have changed tactics or are using more sophisticated weapons.
The self-styled Islamic State in Iraq, linked to al Qaeda, claimed responsibility, saying the helicopter was shot down by what it described as its "air defence brigade".
"We tell the enemies that these (operations) are proof that God is giving us victory," the group said in a statement posted on a website used by Sunni militant groups.
- REUTERS
