US army shot down Iranian drone in Iraqi airspace

An Iranian drone flying inside Iraqi airspace was shot down by the US army last month just 60 miles north of Baghdad, announced US military spokesmen on Monday. The unmanned aircraft flew over Iraq for one hour and ten minutes.US warplanes shot down an Iranian drone inside Iraqi airspace north of Baghdad last month, an American military spokesman said on Monday."This was not an accident on the part of the Iranians," the unnamed spokesman said in a  statement, without elaborating."The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) was in Iraqi airspace for nearly one hour and 10 minutes and well inside Iraqi territory before it was engaged." The drone was about 60 miles (100 kilometres) from Baghdad. "Coalition multi-role jet fighters shot down an Iranian UAV February 25," the statement said."The pilots were directed to shoot the UAV down after determining there would be no possibility of collateral damage. The UAV was believed to be an Iranian 'Ababil 3' model UAV."The report came at a time when Washington is tentatively seeking to unfreeze relations with Tehran, which has made no comment on any drone incident in Iraqi airspace. US President Barack Obama has pledged to offer diplomatic engagement with US foes, including Iran, to test if there might be scope for negotiated solutions to conflicts.