Three US soldiers killed in combat in insurgent hotbed Iraq’s Anbar province Thursday

DEBKAfile Intelligence

24 February 2007

More than 30 people were killed in Iraq Wednesday in scattered insurgent attacks including the third explosion of a dangerous chemicals truck.

North of Baghdad, insurgents shot down their 8th US helicopter in a month. All nine personnel aboard were rescued. Initial reports indicated, according to the US military spokesman, that the chopper was downed by small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades.

In Baghdad, a pickup truck carrying chlorine gas cylinders was blown up, killing at least 5 people and sending more than 55 to hospital.