Machinegun fire from American helicopters in central Baghdad on Friday as U.S. and Iraqi forces clashed with gunmen during a raid, police and witnesses said. According to to Reuters, the fighting erupted when the troops moved into the Fadhil area and were fired upon by gunmen hiding in houses, an Interior Ministry source said.
Witnesses said two low-flying American Apache helicopters were hovering above the Fadhil area, firing their machineguns into the streets. The Interior Ministry said one soldier died and nine people were hurt, including five soldiers.
American troops earlier staged raids in and around Baghdad, killing two suspected al Qaeda members, the military said in a statement.
Bombs also killed five people in Baghdad on Friday, including one at the city's pet market.
Just south of Baghdad late on Thursday, a roadside bomb killed one minibus passenger and wounded four.
