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KABUL, Afghanistan – Nine service members with the international coalition in Afghanistan died Tuesday after their helicopter crashed in the volatile south where troops are ramping up pressure on Taliban insurgents.
One other coalition service member, an Afghan National Army soldier and a U.S. civilian were injured in the crash and were transported to a military medical center for treatment, NATO said.
The alliance did not disclose the location of the crash, which is under investigation.
Ahmad Wali Karzai, the brother of Afghan President Hamid Karzai, told The Associated Press that the chopper went down in Zabul province, but officials there said they have no confirmed reports of any crash.
Though helicopters more regularly crash because of mechanical issues in Afghanistan, some have been brought down by insurgent fire.
However, NATO said in a statement, "There are no reports of enemy fire in the area."
Choppers are used extensively by both NATO and the Afghan government forces to transport and supply troops spread out across a mountainous country with few roads. Losses have been relatively light, despite insurgent fire and difficult conditions, and most crashes have been accidents caused by maintenance problems or factors such as dust.
In April, three service members were killed when a U.S. Air Force Osprey went down seven miles (11 kilometers) from Qalat, capital of Zabul province about 200 miles (300 kilometers) southwest of Kabul. It was the first crash of the costly tilt-rotor aircraft in a combat zone, the U.S. military said. In July 2009, NATO reported that two Canadian troops and a Briton were killed in a helicopter crash in Zabul.
The deaths raise to 32 the number of international troops killed so far this month in Afghanistan.
NATO says 9 service members killed in crash - Yahoo! News
One other coalition service member, an Afghan National Army soldier and a U.S. civilian were injured in the crash and were transported to a military medical center for treatment, NATO said.
The alliance did not disclose the location of the crash, which is under investigation.
Ahmad Wali Karzai, the brother of Afghan President Hamid Karzai, told The Associated Press that the chopper went down in Zabul province, but officials there said they have no confirmed reports of any crash.
Though helicopters more regularly crash because of mechanical issues in Afghanistan, some have been brought down by insurgent fire.
However, NATO said in a statement, "There are no reports of enemy fire in the area."
Choppers are used extensively by both NATO and the Afghan government forces to transport and supply troops spread out across a mountainous country with few roads. Losses have been relatively light, despite insurgent fire and difficult conditions, and most crashes have been accidents caused by maintenance problems or factors such as dust.
In April, three service members were killed when a U.S. Air Force Osprey went down seven miles (11 kilometers) from Qalat, capital of Zabul province about 200 miles (300 kilometers) southwest of Kabul. It was the first crash of the costly tilt-rotor aircraft in a combat zone, the U.S. military said. In July 2009, NATO reported that two Canadian troops and a Briton were killed in a helicopter crash in Zabul.
The deaths raise to 32 the number of international troops killed so far this month in Afghanistan.
NATO says 9 service members killed in crash - Yahoo! News
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