BAGHDAD — Hostile fire brought down a U.S. Army Apache attack helicopter yesterday, the third aircraft lost this month west of Baghdad. Coalition troops killed three Iraqis in restive cities outside the capital, relatives and police said.
In Fallujah, also west of Baghdad, hundreds of Iraqis protested, shouting “Bush, you coward,” after American troops detained a woman while searching for a Saddam Hussein loyalist. The 17-year-old newlywed was freed after several hours of questioning.
The AH-64 helicopter gunship from the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment crashed near the town of Habbaniyah, but the two crew members escaped injury, military spokesman Col. William Darley said.
“It was apparently downed by enemy fire,” he said.
In the same area, a medevac helicopter was downed Jan. 6, killing nine U.S. soldiers. A Kiowa Warrior helicopter was shot down Jan. 2, killing the pilot.
After the demonstration in Fallujah, gunmen fired rocket-propelled grenades at U.S. forces guarding City Hall. The soldiers returned fire, killing two persons and wounding four, witnesses, police said.
The dead included a 33-year-old woman shot while in the home of her sister, and Ahmed Naji, 37, whose car crashed in a hail of gunfire. Mr. Naji’s brother and father were seriously wounded, police Capt. Taha al-Falahi said.
“Our rights are gone and lost. See how beautiful democracy is. They take the women away. They kill the youth. We are living in luxury,” Mr. Naji’s cousin Khalil Ibrahim said.
Residents in Fallujah, like many in the “Sunni Triangle,” are religious conservatives and equate a woman’s dignity with family honor.
Relatives said the woman, who was married six days ago, was alone at home Monday when U.S. troops took her away. She was released five hours later.
Maher Turki, her brother-in-law, said the soldiers were looking for another of his brothers in the hope that he would lead them to Khamis Sarhan, leader of Saddam’s Ba’ath Party in Fallujah. Mr. Turki said his brother was acquainted with Sarhan but was not an associate.
“In all honesty, she was treated well. They only had women soldiers deal with her. They did not harm her. They didn’t touch one hair on her head,” Mr. Turki said.
Also yesterday, Ukrainian troops opened fire to disperse several hundred protesters demanding jobs in Kut, 90 miles southeast of Baghdad. One man was killed and two were wounded in the second straight day of violent demonstrations in the mainly Shi’ite Muslim city.
In Baghdad, U.S. troops fired at a car Monday shortly after a roadside bombing in which an American soldier was killed. The driver and a 10-year-old boy were killed.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.