Many killed in mysterious helicopter crash in Iraq’s north

RASHID YAHYA
Associated Press

DOHUK, Iraq (AP) — The counterterrorism service of Iraq’s Kurdish-run region says several people were killed in a mysterious helicopter crash in northern Iraq. Passengers of the ill-fated helicopter included militants belonging to the outlawed Kurdistan Worker’s Party, or PKK, which is designated a terror group by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union. The helicopter crashed on Thursday night in Dohuk province where the PKK is known to roam freely. Neither the PKK, the semi-autonomous Iraqi Kurdish regional government, the federal Iraqi government or Turkey has claimed ownership of the helicopter. A spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition said the crash was outside the scope of its operations.