Reply #111: 31 Killed in Marine Chopper Crash in Iraq

[HR_Pufnstuf]

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - A U.S. military transport helicopter crashed during sandstorms in Iraq's western desert Wednesday, killing 31 people, all believed to be Marines, while insurgents killed five other American troops in the deadliest day for U.S. forces since the Iraq war began.

Militants waging a campaign to derail Sunday's election carried out at least six car bombings and a flurry of other attacks on schools to be used as polling stations, political party offices and Kurdish sites, killing or wounding more than two dozen people.

While al-Qaida warned Iraqis to stay away from the polls - saying they would only have themselves to blame if they are hurt in attacks - President Bush called on people to "defy the terrorists" and cast ballots in the crucial election.

A Bush administration official said the cause of Wednesday's crash was not immediately known but that there was bad weather at the time. An Accuweather map of Iraq showed sandstorms Wednesday in the western region of Iraq near the Jordanian border where the crash took place.

full:
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050126/D87RTR280.html