In heavy fighting over control of the Shia holy city of Najaf , U.S. military and Iraqi army troops killed an estimated 250 militants , according to an official of the Iraqi Interior Ministry. 10 militants were captured, according to an Iraqi Major General  . The dead and captured were part of a group of 600 militants based outside of the city who planned to take Najaf, attack pilgrims coming for the Shia holiday of Ashoura, and kill senior Shi'ite clerics, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani among them. During the fighting, gunmen launched a missile at a U.S. military helicopter north of the city, causing it to crash . The two crew members were killed, and their remains were later recovered, according to a military statement. Three members of the Iraqi forces were killed in the fighting, and 15 were wounded, according to an Iraqi police colonel.
According to an official of the Iraqi Interior Ministry , U.S. military and Iraqi army troops killed an estimated 250 militants in heavy fighting over control of the Shia holy city of Najaf. According to an Iraqi Major General , 10 militants were captured . The dead and captured were part of a group of 600 militants based outside of the city who planned to take Najaf, attack pilgrims coming for the Shia holiday of Ashoura, and kill senior Shi'ite clerics, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani among them. During the fighting, gunmen crashed a U.S. military helicopter with a missile . The two crew members were killed, and their remains were later recovered, according to a military statement. Three members of the Iraqi forces were killed in the fighting, and 15 were wounded, according to an Iraqi police colonel.
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In heavy fighting over control of the Shia holy city of Najaf
According to an official of the Iraqi Interior Ministry
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, according to an official of the Iraqi Interior Ministry. 10 militants were captured, according
in heavy fighting over control of the Shia holy city of Najaf. According
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, 10 militants were captured
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launched a missile at a
crashed a
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north of the city, causing it to crash
with a missile