Crew killed in Iraq Apache crash

A US attack helicopter has crashed north of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, killing two crewmen, the US military has announced.

US officials did not report the cause of the crash amid reports that a missile may have hit the Apache.

A US soldier was also shot dead in Baghdad while checking a burning car and a bomb killed two Iraqis.

US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has warned it may be years before the insurgency in Iraq is defeated.

He was speaking on Sunday when 40 people were killed in violence across Iraq.

In other news, Baghdad airport reopened to commercial flights on Monday following a dispute which shut it down for the weekend.

'Missile strike'

US sources said the Apache crashed near the town of Mishahda, about 30km (20 miles) north of Baghdad, at around 1145 (0745 GMT).

An investigation was under way, said Lt Col Clifford Kent, a spokesman for the US 3rd Infantry Division.

Local people quoted by Reuters news agency said they had seen two helicopters circling before one fell out of the sky.

"I saw a missile hit one of the helicopters and black smoke come from it before it went down," said one man, who gave his name as Abu Mustafa.

US and other foreign helicopters have crashed or been shot down in Iraq with increasing regularity.

In the deadliest confirmed attack, a Chinook was shot down near Falluja in November 2003 with the loss of 16 lives.

Relying on Iraqis

Speaking on US television, Mr Rumsfeld said ultimately Iraq's own forces, rather than coalition troops, would beat the insurgents.

Earlier, Mr Rumsfeld said US officials in Iraq have had talks with leaders of the insurgency.

The crash comes amid growing concern in the US about rising casualties and warnings that the insurgency is strengthening.

Recent opinion polls in the US have shown a considerable drop in support for the US-led invasion of Iraq.

President George W Bush is to make a prime-time television address to the nation about the situation in Iraq on Tuesday.

More than 1,000 people - mostly Iraqis - have been killed since the new government was installed in April.