Four dead, chopper downed as US troops clash with Shiite militia

[UpInArms]

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=6943

NAJAF: Four people were killed and a US helicopter shot down amid heavy fighting between US troops and Shiite Muslim militiamen in the central Iraqi holy city of Najaf on Thursday, officials said.

US helicopters were in action, circling above Najaf cemetery and the sound of heavy gunfire and mortar rounds boomed across the city from around 9:45 am (0545 GMT), an AFP correspondent on the scene said.

Two hours later a helicopter attached to the 11th Marine Expeditionary unit came down in the Najaf region, a US military spokesman in Baghdad said.

"A UH-1 marine helicopter was shot down at about 11:45 am (0745 GMT)," he said. The crew had been recovered alive but the extent of their injuries was unknown, the spokesman added.

<snip>

It was not immediately clear who fired the rockets at the hospital and whether all five slammed into the building.

...more...

[Dhalgren]

1. I could have told Sadr,

you can't trust Americans. (But he probably already knew that. The whole world does, now.)

[leftchick]

2. Uh oh... al-Sistani is not in good health....

there is a lot more information as to what is happening in Iraq today at this link as well...I wish one of those turd WH reporters would ask chimpy* about the new "heavy fighting" in Najaf and elsewhere in Iraq. just for the hell of it... :grr:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040805/ts_nm/iraq_dc&cid=564&ncid=1480

<snip>

Sadr's supporters in the Basra also took to the streets and threatened attacks unless comrades they said had been detained by British forces were released. Armed followers of Sadr also took to the streets of Shi'ite areas of Baghdad.


A U.S. military spokesman said the crew of the downed helicopter were wounded and evacuated. Sadr's aides said the cleric's Mehdi Army militia had shot down the aircraft.


Iraq (news - web sites)'s health ministry said at least two people were killed in the fighting and eight wounded. One person was also killed and four wounded when a mortar round hit a hospital in the city.


An aide to Iraq's most revered Shi'ite cleric, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, said Sistani was receiving treatment in Najaf for heart problems and the clashes could affect his health.


"There is fear that what is happening in Najaf might affect the medical care he needs," Hamed Khafaf told Reuters.

[Moderator]

3. duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x729602