They're the first aircraft to be brought down by the Iraqis since the war started.

A Black Hawk helicopter was attacked over southern Iraq, and early reports said that seven out of the 11 people on board may have been killed.

But a different report from the US military said there were only six people on board.

Progress

US military bosses said they'd made significant progress, after destroying two sections of the Iraqi Republican Guards. They're some of Saddam Hussein's best-trained fighters.

But Iraq has dismissed some of America's claimed successes as "lies".

Other main points:

• A BBC cameraman, Kaveh Golsetan, has been killed in Iraq after stepping on a landmine
• US Marines say they have gained control of most of the city of Nasiriya
• Iraqi satellite TV has shown Saddam Hussein holding a meeting, looking relaxed and smiling. There is no sound and it is not clear when the pictures were recorded.