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31 US Marines Killed in Iraq Helicopter Crash
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=B33E86:2AB91D3

Military says Marine transport helicopter went down at 1:20 am
Wednesday local time, while on patrol near city of Ar Rutbah, close to
border with Syria and Jordan The U.S. military says a Marine
helicopter has crashed in a remote area of western Iraq killing 31
troops.

The military says the Marine transport helicopter went down at 1:20
a.m. Wednesday  local time, while on patrol near the city of Ar
Rutbah, close to the border with Syria and Jordan.

At the White House, President Bush said he is saddened by the loss of
life.

Troops from two Marine divisions were aboard the helicopter when it
went down. It was not immediately known if the crash was an accident
or the result of hostile fire, but bad weather was reported in the
area. A military search and rescue team is at the site and an
investigation is under way.

Also in western Iraq, the military says four Marines were killed in
action today in al-Anbar province. And to the north, one soldier was
killed and two others wounded in a rocket-propelled grenade attack
near Ad Duluiyah.


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