Four causalities result from Iraq helicopter crash

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – A helicopter crash on Monday night killed at least two Iraqi officers while wounding two others in Saladin province due to a technical error, according to the defense ministry.

Two helicopters, taking off from Hilewa airport outside Tuz Khurmatu south of Kirkuk, were providing logistical support to the Iraqi provincial council election, according to a statement from the Ministry of Defense.

One of the helicopters experienced “a technical malfunction”, leading to the crash of the aircraft, killing two officers on board and wounding two others, the ministry added.

The Ministry did not elaborate further details on the incident.

Millions of Iraqis on Monday headed to the polling stations across 15 Iraqi governorates to participate in the provincial council election, the first in a decade.

Following the closure of the polling centers at 6:00 PM on Monday, the ballots were transferred to the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) headquarters via aircraft, according to the Iraqi Joint Operations Command, tasked with supervising the “security plan” for the elections.

The electoral commission reported the 41 percent turnout in the election, whose preliminary results are due Tuesday evening.