Technicians perform last checks on Iraqi army helicopters which will be transporting Pope Francis to the northern city of Mosul, on March 7, 2021. (PHOTO / AFP)
BAGHDAD – An Iraqi army helicopter crashed during a combat operation in northern Iraq on Thursday, killing all five crew members, the Iraqi military said in a statement.
The helicopter went down near the northern town of Amerli, 170 km north of Baghdad. It did not specify whether the helicopter crashed due to hostile fire or a technical malfunction.
Iraqi security forces have over the past months launched many operations in the area where the helicopter crashed to chase militants, military officials said
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Despite the defeat of the Islamic State militant group in 2017, remnants of the group switched to hit-and-run attacks against government forces in different parts of Iraq.
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Iraqi security forces have over the past months launched many operations in the area where the helicopter crashed to chase militants, military officials said.