Helicopter shot down in Somalia
Ap, Mogadishu
An Ethiopian helicopter attacking insurgent positions in Somalia's capital was shot down Friday as government and allied troops battled hundreds of gunmen in the streets, witnesses said. Government soldiers and troops from neighbouring Ethiopia, who are in Somalia to protect the fragile government, were under a severe attack for a second day as they tried to quash a growing insurgency by Islamic militants. "The helicopter looked like a ball of smoke and fire before crashing," said Ruqiya Shafi Muhyadin, who watched as the helicopter rolled over in the sky and went down in a residential area near the airport. Mohamud Osman Ashir, who lives near the site, said the helicopter was still burning after the crash. An Associated Press reporter said an anti-aircraft missile hit the helicopter.
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