International   

U.S. strategy founders as resistance fighters hit back

By Atul Aneja

MANAMA Nov. 16. The United States forces in Iraq, which had launched air raids on suspected strongholds of Iraqi fighters in a change of strategy to check increasing resistance, have suffered a major setback with two of its Black Hawk helicopters going down on Saturday, killing at least 17 soldiers and injuring five. This is the highest number of U.S. losses in a single incident since the Iraq war began.

One soldier was missing, the U.S. military command said, without giving an explanation for the cause of the crashes, which took place near the northern city of Mosul. Eyewitnesses, however, said that one of the helicopters was hit by a ground-to-air missile and this chopper fell on the other helicopter of the formation, resulting in the twin crash. The rotor blades of the two helicopters had apparently collided after the chopper that was struck by the missile swerved away from its flight path. The helicopters were reportedly on a mission to engage Iraqi fighters, who had ambushed a U.S. foot patrol.

According to the U.S. military, one of the helicopters was carrying a quick reaction team while the other was transporting troops to northern Iraq. Resistance fighters have brought down five helicopters since late October, killing 16 U.S. soldiers. Six U.S. troops died when Iraqi ground fire brought down a Black Hawk helicopter on November 7. The apparent attack by the Iraqi resistance on Saturdaycomes in the wake of Operation Iron Hammer, the U.S. ground-and-air offensive which was launched after the downing of a helicopter near Tikrit nine days ago.

Stung by the spiralling attacks, the U.S. military had deployed its Apache attack helicopters, AC-130 gun ships and155-mm Howitzers at suspected resistance strongholds.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Solheim coming today
• Democrats create history
• U.S. strategy founders as resistance fighters hit back
• Nasiriyah tragedy leaves Italy shocked
• U.S. exit strategy in Iraq evokes sharp response
• Sterlites' founder set to join U.K.'s wealthy elite
• Security row over Bush's visit
• Syria must help revitalise NAM, says Vajpayee
• PM winds up three-nation tour
• Syria welcomes India's move for good ties with Pak.

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu