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Seven Americans killed as choppers hit

At least seven U.S. troops were killed today in two separate attacks on military helicopters in eastern Afghanistan, Pentagon sources tell CNN. Six were killed when their chopper was shot down and a firefight ensued. The other died of unknown injuries after a helicopter was hit but managed to return safely to base.

Copter Downed: Six Dead

A US Chinook helicopter has been shot down in Afghanistan, leaving at least six people dead, US military sources have said.

The helicopter was downed as 1,500 Allied troops continued their assault on several hundred heavily-armed Taliban and al Qaeda guerrillas in the east of the country.

The fighters are holed up in a cave network in Paktia province.

Bombing raids

Since the attack began on Saturday, US jets have carried out a series of bombing raids.

The operation appeared to be the largest joint US-Afghan attack since American and British planes kicked off military activities in Afghanistan in October.

Australian, Canadian, French, Norwegian, Danish and German troops were fighting alongside their American and Afghan allies as Chinook helicopters moved personnel from rear positions to the battlefield.

Pro-US Afghan troops approached enemy hide-outs from three directions to isolate the Taliban and al Qaeda fighters and prevent them from escaping.

Last Updated: 14:39 UK, Monday March 04, 2002

07:21 PST (AP) -- Pentagon spokeswoman Victoria Clarke said she didn't know the number of wounded nor whether a search-and-rescue operation had been completed.

The helicopter, normally used to ferry special forces troops and supplies, was downed on its way to the largest battle of the five-month war so far -- an assault on suspected al-Qaida and Taliban fighters that the Pentagon says were regrouping south of Gardez.

(03-04) 07:26 PST (AP) -- It was the first American aircraft taken down by enemy fire in the war, following accidental crashes of other craft since the anti-terror campaign opened in October.

And it was the highest number of deaths suffered by Americans in any single combat operation since the war started Oct. 7.

"We have some small numbers of U.S. troops killed," in the downing of the MH-47 Chinook helicopter, which occurred early Sunday night Washington time, Clarke said.

A defense official speaking later on condition of anonymity said at least six were dead.

Congress [Liberal Dascholes] Presses Bush on Terror War
(AP) - As the United States opens more fronts in its war on terrorism, calls are increasing in Congress for the Bush administration to better define the new military missions - and give some idea how long they might last. The Republic of Georgia, the Philippines and Yemen are just as messy and full of rival fighting factions as Afghanistan, where no U.S. exit strategy is in sight while Osama bin Laden (news - web sites) remains elusive and his al-Qaida terrorists regroup. More...

We lost more heroes this morning. It is a bad day when good American fighting men are offed by the human equivalent of a nest of scorpions.

Only way to even approach making their demise meaningful is to wreak complete destruction upon our enemy and our enemy's cause all around the world.

I wonder if the OSPREY ! would have gotten these boys out of there faster ?