US says no reports of US helicopter down in Iraq

BAGHDAD, Feb 11 (Reuters) The US military said it had no information of an American military helicopter crashing north of Baghdad today after residents reported one went down under fire.

''We have no reports of a US military helicopter being down,'' US military spokeswoman Lieutenant-Colonel Josslyn Aberle said.

Residents reported seeing a missile hit an Apache attack helicopter, which carries two crew, bringing it down in the Timayma area, near Taji, site of a major US air base 20 km north of Baghdad.

Six helicopters have come down in Iraq in the last three weeks.

The US military has confirmed that at least four of those were shot down after being struck by ground fire and says it has adjusted its tactics accordingly.

REUTERS SY RAI2002