the pilot, Squadron Leader Gary Lennox, and the co-pilot, Squadron Leader Paul Weeks, were killed. It has been reported that they were attacking a radar site. It has also been suggested that the cause of the crash was either problems with night vision gear or flashes from anti aircraft artillery causing distractions. Russian and Iraqi sources claim that this aircraft was shot down by an Iraqi Mikoyan MiG-29 armed with R-60 (missile) piloted by Jameel Sayhood, who was later crashed his plane while maneuvring McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle piloted by Cesar Rodriguez (pilot). U.S. occupation Following the 2003 Invasion of Iraq, on 9 April 2003, United States Army Special Forces under the command of Major James A. Gavrilis approached the town. The Fedayeen Saddam still occupied it, and every time Gavrilis' men approached, "Ar Rutbah became a hornet's nest, and small-arms fire turned into machine gun and rocket fire." Gavrilis opened channels of communication with those inside the town, attempting to send the message that they "cared more about the people of Ar Rutbah than did the Fedayeen." Eventually they managed to enter the town and were not fired upon. They cleared known enemy positions and Gavrilis located the police station, which he opted to make his company headquarters. Two hours after their arrival, Gavrilis summoned the civil administrators, chief of police, and tribal leaders of the town to discuss the future civil administration of it. On 26 April 2003, the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance's DART Field Team West, part of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), traveled from Jordan to Ar-Rutbah, to analyse the town's situation. Electricity had still not been restored to the town, and so the normal water system was still down. The 40-bed hospital was destroyed by aerial bombardment in the invasion, and so the remaining staff had moved to the Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC), although as it was not suitable for more complex operations, patients were being air lifted to the closest hospital 300 miles away in Ramadi. Supplies of oxygen had been depleted, essential drugs were running low, an increase had been seen in diarrhea cases, and the malnutrition rate was estimated at 10%. It was also reported that all 63 Wakils (public distribution agents) were accounted for and were working. After the Special Forces left the town, the US Army's 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment took over responsibility for the area