By Zabihullah Tamanna
KABUL, Afghanistan
Conflicting reports are emerging of a fatal military helicopter crash in Afghanistan.
An air force transport helicopter went down in the Naw Bahar district of Zabul province on Thursday morning, prompting claims from the Taliban that rebels brought down the aircraft.
Initially, according to provincial governor Mohammed Anwar Ishaqzai, only the five crew members died.
However, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed that the Taliban hit the helicopter, killing all on board, prompting Ishaqzai to say technical problems were to blame.
An Afghan army officer speaking on conation of anonymity told Anadolu Agency that at least 17 people – including 12 soldiers and officers, three pilots and two gunners – perished in the incident.
“Soldiers were being transported to an army base in Naw Bahar district when the incident took place around 11 a.m. [local time, 0630 GMT],” the officer said.
Gen. Mohammad Salim, spokesman for the air force at Kandahar military airfield, confirmed that an incident had taken place, adding that the helicopter had been on a military mission.
After 14 years of NATO support, Afghanistan’s air force still suffers from a lack of military helicopters.
Air force attacks on Taliban hideouts are carried out using old Russian-made Mi-17 transport helicopters equipped with artillery and guns.
