Black Hawk Down Killing 12, Another 5 U.S. Marines Dead in Seperate Attack

By SAMEER N. YACOUB
Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- A U.S. Black Hawk helicopter crashed in northern Iraq, killing all 12 Americans believed to be aboard, while five U.S. Marines were slain in separate weekend attacks, the military said Sunday.

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The UH-60 Black Hawk crashed just before midnight Saturday about seven miles east of the insurgent stronghold of Tal Afar, a northern city near the Syrian border, the officials said. The military also did not say what caused the crash.

Three Marines were killed Sunday by small arms attacks in Fallujah, 40 miles west of Baghdad, the military said.

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On Saturday, two Marines were killed by roadside bombs in separate incidents, the military said. One blast occurred about 50 miles west of Baghdad, while the other happened about 35 miles north of the capital.

In other violence Sunday:

- Gunmen assassinated a member of former Prime Minster Ayad Allawi's secular Shiite Iraqi National List in Baghdad, police 1st Lt. Mohammed Kheyoun said.

- A gunman was killed when clashes broke out between militants and Iraqi police, Maj. Musa Abdul Karim said.

- Militants opened fire on a vehicle in Baghdad, killing the driver, police Capt. Qasim Hussein said.

- Gunmen killed a policeman in western Baghdad, Capt. Qassim Hussein said.

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