US-led intl coalition helicopter damaged in 'mishap' in Iraq
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The US-led occupation forces in Iraq suffer from an accident while flying a helicopter in an incident similar to one that took place recently in northern Syria.
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Iraqi soldiers participate in a training exercise with American and Spanish trainers at Basmaya base, 40 kilometers southeast of Baghdad, Iraq (AP)
Members of the US-led international coalition occupying Iraq experienced an "in-flight mishap" near Iraq's Erbil on Thursday, which damaged the helicopter, a press release by the joint mission said.
"At approximately 12:15 p.m., Coalition service members conducting a routine helicopter training mission experienced an in-flight mishap near Erbil, Iraq, July 27, 2023," the release stated.
The accident did not yield any casualties and only dealt some damage to the aircraft, and no coalition or civilian infrastructure was damaged either.
This comes over a month after a similar incident took place, though the coalition was not as lucky.
A helicopter crashed in northeastern Syria, wounding 22 US soldiers and requiring 10 to be transferred out of the area of operations.
"A helicopter mishap in northeastern Syria resulted in injuries of various degrees to 22 US service members. The service members are receiving treatment for their injuries, and 10 have been evacuated to higher care facilities outside of the CENTCOM AOR," CENCTOM said in a statement.
Since ISIS has been defeated in Syria and Iraq, many analysts argued that the reason why the US remains stationed on Syrian and Iraqi territory has been left unclear.
The US frequently loots oil from Syrian gas fields and transports them to other occupation bases in Iraq via illegal crossings.
Read more: US occupation steals 53 Syrian oil tankers, smuggles them to Iraq
The US has for long employed the alleged "ISIS threat" as a pretext to continue its illegal occupation of northeastern Syrian territories.
In early March, the US House of Representatives voted against legislation instructing Biden to end the US occupation of the Syrian Al-Tanf region and remove approximately 900 troops.
Currently, the US army and other foreign forces, participating in the so-called "International Coalition", occupy no less than 28 declared military sites in Syria, distributed over three governorates: Al-Hasakah (17 sites), Deir Ezzor (nine sites), and Homs (two sites).
Read next: US occupation continues looting Syrian oil: Reports
Syria's foreign ministry said in December the US occupation forces and their affiliated military groups' systematic lootings of Syrian oil, wheat, and other national resources have amounted to direct losses valued at $25.9 billion and indirect losses valued at over $86 billion.
"19.8 billion US dollars of looting oil, gas, and mineral resources, 3.3 billion US dollars resulting from vandalizing and ransacking of facilities. 2.9 billion US dollars the value of damages caused to the oil and gas installations by the so-called 'international coalition' bombing of these installations," the statement detailed.
The Ministry then demanded the UN to once again adopt urgent steps to cease the violation of international law by the US and its allies and ensure compensation for these violations.
