Afghanistan: Army helicopter crashes in Baghlan

A military helicopter has crashed in Afghanistan’s northern Baghlan province, killing all eight people on board, officials have told Al Jazeera.

The crash took place on Sunday in Dand-e-Ghori district while the helicopter was supplying a military base.

Dawlat Waziri, spokesman for the Afghan defense ministry, said that five crew members and three army soldiers were killed in the crash.

Waziri blamed a technical problem which “caused the helicopter to catch fire and hit the ground”, according to The Associated Press news agency.

Yet, the Taliban issued a statement claiming responsibility for downing the helicopter, saying it was shot down by the armed group’s fighters.

Local officials in Baghlan also told Al Jazeera that the Taliban had shot down the helicopter as it was trying to provide logistics support to the ground forces in Dand-e-Ghori, close to the provincial capital of Pul-e-Khumri city.

Read More- al Jazeera

Image courtesy of Reuters (representational image only)