Twelve US and British soldiers became the first casualties of war for the invading forces after their helicopter crashed as the US-led troops advanced into southern Iraq, crossing the desert border from Kuwait under cover of an intense artillery barrage.

According to CNN , the Pentagon officials confirmed that eight British military personnel and four American crew members perished in the crash.

Earlier, Washington Post reported, the US Marine helicopter crash killed 12 American and four Britons while "conducting operations related to the campaign against Iraq".