incarcerated
10-26-2009, 04:28
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/Afghanistan/article6890357.ece
Fourteen Americans dead as helicopters crash in Afghan raids
From Times Online
October 26, 2009
Jerome Starkey in Kabul and Jenny Booth
Fourteen Americans have died in Afghanistan in a bloody night for the US, when one helicopter came down under heavy fire and two more collided in mid air.
Seven soldiers and three civilians were killed in the first incident, moments after their helicopter took off after extracting soldiers from a daring raid against one of the region's most wanted drugs smugglers.
A military spokesman confirmed that the US civilians were with "other government agencies".
Elite US troops had launched a pre-dawn, airborne assault against a compound in western Afghanistan, believed to harbour insurgents linked to the multi-billion dollar opium trade.
"During the operation, insurgent forces engaged the joint force and more than a dozen enemy fighters were killed in the ensuing fire fight," a military spokesman said.
"As the joint force was departing the area, one helicopter went down due to unconfirmed reasons. Military casualties are reported and a recovery operation is under way."
A further 26 people, mainly Afghan and US troops, were injured in the crash. Rescue operations have been launched, and details of the units and the types of helicopters involved have been withheld until they are complete.
Senior Afghan generals said that special forces were involved in the raid, in Darpum district of Badghis province in western Afghanistan.
A spokesman for the Taleban claimed responsibility. Qari Yousuf Ahmadi said: "There was fighting in the bazaar between foreign troops and the Taleban. During the fighting the Taleban shot down a foreign helicopter."
But Nato’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said in a statement that the reasons for the crash were still being investigated, and added: "The cause is not believed to be from enemy action."
"Seven US service members and three US civilians were killed," the ISAF statement said.
"Those injured include 14 Afghan service members, 11 US service members and one US civilian."
Meanwhile four US troops died and two were injured in a mid-air heliopter collision in the south of the country.
Col Wayne Shanks, a US military spokesman, said that the military had ruled out hostile fire. He said the injured had been evacuated to hospitals inside Afghanistan....
Fourteen Americans dead as helicopters crash in Afghan raids
From Times Online
October 26, 2009
Jerome Starkey in Kabul and Jenny Booth
Fourteen Americans have died in Afghanistan in a bloody night for the US, when one helicopter came down under heavy fire and two more collided in mid air.
Seven soldiers and three civilians were killed in the first incident, moments after their helicopter took off after extracting soldiers from a daring raid against one of the region's most wanted drugs smugglers.
A military spokesman confirmed that the US civilians were with "other government agencies".
Elite US troops had launched a pre-dawn, airborne assault against a compound in western Afghanistan, believed to harbour insurgents linked to the multi-billion dollar opium trade.
"During the operation, insurgent forces engaged the joint force and more than a dozen enemy fighters were killed in the ensuing fire fight," a military spokesman said.
"As the joint force was departing the area, one helicopter went down due to unconfirmed reasons. Military casualties are reported and a recovery operation is under way."
A further 26 people, mainly Afghan and US troops, were injured in the crash. Rescue operations have been launched, and details of the units and the types of helicopters involved have been withheld until they are complete.
Senior Afghan generals said that special forces were involved in the raid, in Darpum district of Badghis province in western Afghanistan.
A spokesman for the Taleban claimed responsibility. Qari Yousuf Ahmadi said: "There was fighting in the bazaar between foreign troops and the Taleban. During the fighting the Taleban shot down a foreign helicopter."
But Nato’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said in a statement that the reasons for the crash were still being investigated, and added: "The cause is not believed to be from enemy action."
"Seven US service members and three US civilians were killed," the ISAF statement said.
"Those injured include 14 Afghan service members, 11 US service members and one US civilian."
Meanwhile four US troops died and two were injured in a mid-air heliopter collision in the south of the country.
Col Wayne Shanks, a US military spokesman, said that the military had ruled out hostile fire. He said the injured had been evacuated to hospitals inside Afghanistan....