Two US aircraft have crashed over southern Iraq.

A Black Hawk helicopter was reportedly shot down by small arms fire near Karbala. There are conflicting reports about the number of personnel aboard the helicopter when it crashed.

Initial reports said seven of the 11 people on board had been killed, while four wounded were rescued. But US Central Command says there were only six people on board.

Shortly afterwards, an F/A-18 Hornet fighter plane crashed over southern Iraq, Central Command told BBC News Online.

US television has reported that the plane was shot down by a missile near Karbala, but Central Command would not confirm that report. The fate of the pilot is not yet known.

In central Iraq, Republican Guard units have moved south from Baghdad to defend the city from advancing US troops, US military sources say.

US spy planes saw the troop movements before dawn on Thursday, the Reuters news agency reported.

American troops have repelled an Iraqi counter-attack on a key US-controlled bridge over the Euphrates south of Baghdad, the French news agency AFP said.

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Terbitan : 4 April 2003

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