Speculation: Ground Fire, Possibly RPGs

Two US Black Hawk helicopters went down Saturday night in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, killing 12 coalition soldiers and wounding nine. Witnesses say the aircraft collided in mid-air, but the military now confirms one of the helicopters was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.

The UH-60s belonged to the 101st Airborne Division. They crashed in the Borsa neighborhood of Mosul, where both of ousted leader Saddam Hussein's sons were killed in a firefight with members of the 101st earlier this year.

"I was leaving the mosque and I heard a boom," said Hani, a witness who only gave his first name. He said two helicopters collided in mid-air before one crashed into a house.

Other witnesses say one of the helicopters, apparently flying in formation, was hit by an RPG and was burning when it strayed into the flight path of the second helicopter.

"The crash site has been secured by the U.S. military, Iraqi police and firefighters," said the military spokesman, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Helicopters have become targets of choice for enemy forces in Iraq. Sixteen soldiers were killed near Fallujah on November 2nd when the AH-47 Chinook they were traveling in was downed by surface-to-air missiles. Five days later, another UH-60 Black Hawk was downed in Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit. All six soldiers on board were killed.

FMI: www.army.mil