Nine Americans killed in helicopter crash in al-Falouja, hotel in Baghdad's downtown attacked

Al-Hayat tower hotel in Baghdad was exposed to RPG shelling today at dawn but no casualties were reported.

An official in the hotel, which is inhabited by employees of foreign companies contracting with the occupation authorities in Iraq, said that several veiled attackers came out of a car, and opened fire at the facade of the hotel, and hit the first and fourth floors before they fled.

A spokesman for the American occupation army yesterday announced the killing of nine persons in an American military helicopter crash near Falouja city, to the north west of Baghdad. Witnesses said that the helicopter was hit by a shell, and this led to downing it over Zouba village, near Falouja.

The American military spokesman said that the helicopter crashed during forced landing operation, and this resulted in the killing of its four- member crew and four other passengers.

The occupation forces cordoned the site of the incident, and closed all roads leading to it, while helicopters flew over the area.

One American soldier was killed and other 24 wounded, in an attack by mortars that targeted on Wednesday evening an American base near Baghdad.

One American military spokesman said that the mortars shells fell on a supplies base to the west of Baghdad, noting that some of the wounded soldiers were treated at the site of the incident, while others were admitted to the hospital to get more medical treatment.