U.S. choppers crash, 4 soldiers killed

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Four U.S. soldiers on Monday were killed when two helicopters crashed north of the Iraqi capital, the U.S. army said. “The crash occurred in Salah al-Din province,” a U.S. army media advisor told IraqiNews.com news agency. Investigations are currently underway to reveal the circumstance surrounding the accident, he added. The deaths raise the number of U.S. fatalities in 2009 to 15, and bring the number of U.S. soldiers who have been killed in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003 to 4,236. A total of 486 U.S. troops were killed in 2003, while 849 died in 2004. Other 846 troops were killed in 2005, and 822 soldiers in 2006. 2007 remains the year that saw the highest U.S. death toll with 904. November 2004, which witnessed fierce battles between U.S. forces and armed groups in Falluja city, Anbar province, remains the month that saw the highest U.S. death toll with 137. SS (P) 1