Baghdad: A US military helicopter crashed northeast of Baghdad on Saturday, killing all 13 military personnel on board, but the US military gave no immediate details on the cause.

It was one of the deadliest single incidents in four years of war and the bloodiest since US President George W. Bush announced an increase in troop numbers that has run into stiff opposition among Democrats now controlling Congress.
The incident brought to 16 the number of US military deaths announced on Saturday.

Dozens of helicopters have crashed in Iraq over the past four years since the US-led invasion, a number shot down by insurgents.

"A US forces helicopter went down northeast of Baghdad this afternoon. Emergency Coalition Forces responded and secured the scene. Thirteen passengers and crew members were aboard the aircraft and all were killed," said the statement.

It did not identify the type of helicopter. The Blackhawk helicopter widely used in Iraq carries four crew and about 10 passengers on a typical flight.

Three more US soldiers have been killed in separate attacks in Iraq, the military reported.

The deaths came as House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi accused Bush of playing politics with soldiers' lives.

"The president knows that because the troops are in harm's way, that we won't cut off the resources," she said.