US troops killed in Afghan helicopter crash
A Nato helicopter has crashed fighting insurgents in east Afghanistan, killing 31 US troops and seven Afghan soldiers in the worst single incident for foreign troops in Afghanistan.
The Taliban has claimed responsibility for shooting down the Chinook helicopter with a rocket-propelled grenade in the Wardak province, west of Kabul.
US Air Force Captain Justin Brockhoff, a Nato spokesman, confirmed the crash but could offer no further details.
However, Afghan President Hamid Karzzi’s office confirmed to the US press that 31 US troops and seven Afghan soldiers were killed. It is understood that eight guerrillas were killed before the Chinook crashed.
Karzai said in a statement that he “shared his deep sorrow and sadness” with US counterpart Barack Obama and the families of the US and Afghan victims.
The Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said a helicopter had crashed overnight and it was in the process of recovering it.
The crash follows an airstrike on Friday afternoon in the southern Helmand province which killed eight Afghan civilians.
The airstrike occurred in Helmand’s Nad Ali district after insurgents had attacked troops from the ISAF in the area, said Nad Ali district police chief Shidi Khan.
ISAF confirmed an airstrike was carried out after a coalition patrol came under attack and said it was investigating the incident after meeting local leaders.
The victims of Friday’s airstrike in Helmand were members of a family that had fled fighting in a neighbouring province, police said.
ISAF said the civilians may have been held hostage by the insurgents.
“Shortly after the (airstrike), coalition forces received reports that civilians were being held captive by the insurgents and may have been present during the airstrike,” an ISAF spokesman said.
A gradual transition of security control to Afghan forces began last month, when areas were handed over by the ISAF. Afghan forces are to take full control across the country by the end of 2014.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said that the first six months of 2011 had been the deadliest period for civilians since the Taliban were toppled by US-backed Afghan forces in late 2001.
The Chinook crash is by far the worst incident of the war for battlefield losses of foreign troops.
In April 2005, another CH-47 Chinook helicopter crashed, killing 15 US servicemen and three civilian contractors. Another Chinook crash in June the same year killed 17 US troops.
