US helicopter forced down in Iraq

Two soldiers were injured when a US helicopter was forced down south of Baghdad, the military said in Iraq today.

The incident occurred in the predominantly Sunni town of Youssifiyah, 10 miles south of Baghdad.

Reports said The helicopter was en route to support a planned mission when it made the forced landing, adding the cause was not immediately clear from initial ground reports but was being investigated.

The two soldiers sustained non-life threatening injuries, according to the statement.

“Security forces and close-air support immediately responded to the site, providing security for the forces and the downed aircraft,” it said.

Youssifiyah is in the area south of Baghdad known as the triangle of death for the insurgent activity there.

It was the second helicopter to go down in just over a week.

On July 31, an AH-64 Apache helicopter went down after coming under fire in eastern Baghdad. The two crew members were safely evacuated, the military said.

Insurgents also shot down a US military helicopter south of Baghdad on July 3, and the two pilots were rescued with minor injuries.