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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Helicopter 'shot down by Taleban' | Helicopter 'shot down by Taleban' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Nato says one of its helicopters that crashed in the southern Afghan province of Helmand on Wednesday may have been shot down by the Taleban. | Nato says one of its helicopters that crashed in the southern Afghan province of Helmand on Wednesday may have been shot down by the Taleban. |
| Seven people died in the crash, five of them US crew. Two military passengers one British, one Canadian, also died. | |
| Nato-led troops are fighting militants nearby. Dozens of Taleban were killed or injured, Afghan officials say. | Nato-led troops are fighting militants nearby. Dozens of Taleban were killed or injured, Afghan officials say. |
| Elsewhere, at least 16 policemen died in a Taleban ambush in southern Zabul province, the interior ministry said. | Elsewhere, at least 16 policemen died in a Taleban ambush in southern Zabul province, the interior ministry said. |
| Fighting between Nato-led security forces and the Taleban has escalated in recent weeks - particularly in the south. | Fighting between Nato-led security forces and the Taleban has escalated in recent weeks - particularly in the south. |
| 'Enemy fire' | 'Enemy fire' |
| Nato is still investigating the cause of Wednesday's crash, but says it looks as if Taleban claims to have shot the Chinook down may well be correct. | Nato is still investigating the cause of Wednesday's crash, but says it looks as if Taleban claims to have shot the Chinook down may well be correct. |
| RECENT AFGHAN AIR CRASHES 18 February 2007 - Eight US troops die in helicopter crash in Zabul province2 September 2006 - 14 UK service personnel die in Nimrod crash in Kandahar province 31 August 2006 - Dutch F-16 fighter pilot dies in crash in south of country27 July 2006 - 16 people of multiple nationalities die in helicopter crash in south-east6 May 2006 - 10 US soldiers die in helicopter crash in Kunar province24 April 2006 - Five die when US anti-drugs plane crashes in southern Afghanistan Fact file: Chinook | RECENT AFGHAN AIR CRASHES 18 February 2007 - Eight US troops die in helicopter crash in Zabul province2 September 2006 - 14 UK service personnel die in Nimrod crash in Kandahar province 31 August 2006 - Dutch F-16 fighter pilot dies in crash in south of country27 July 2006 - 16 people of multiple nationalities die in helicopter crash in south-east6 May 2006 - 10 US soldiers die in helicopter crash in Kunar province24 April 2006 - Five die when US anti-drugs plane crashes in southern Afghanistan Fact file: Chinook |
| "It was a hostile area where the helicopter went down," said Major John Thomas, a spokesman for Nato's International Security Assistance Force (Isaf). | "It was a hostile area where the helicopter went down," said Major John Thomas, a spokesman for Nato's International Security Assistance Force (Isaf). |
| "Initial indications are that enemy fire may have brought down the helicopter." | "Initial indications are that enemy fire may have brought down the helicopter." |
| The nationality of the seventh passenger is still unclear. | The nationality of the seventh passenger is still unclear. |
| The helicopter crashed at around 2100 (1630 GMT) in the Kajaki district of Helmand, Isaf said in a statement. | The helicopter crashed at around 2100 (1630 GMT) in the Kajaki district of Helmand, Isaf said in a statement. |
| A rescue patrol was ambushed by "enemy fighters" and forced to call for an air strike to access the crash site, Isaf said. | A rescue patrol was ambushed by "enemy fighters" and forced to call for an air strike to access the crash site, Isaf said. |
| Incidents of helicopters being shot down are relatively rare in the country, says the BBC's Alastair Leithead in Kabul. | Incidents of helicopters being shot down are relatively rare in the country, says the BBC's Alastair Leithead in Kabul. |
| About 30,000 alliance troops and another 10,000 US-led ones have been battling to boost the authority of President Hamid Karzai. | About 30,000 alliance troops and another 10,000 US-led ones have been battling to boost the authority of President Hamid Karzai. |
| 'Ambush' | 'Ambush' |
| On Thursday, Isaf confirmed that fighting was going on against the Taleban in Sangin district, near Kajaki. | On Thursday, Isaf confirmed that fighting was going on against the Taleban in Sangin district, near Kajaki. |
| A statement said air strikes had been carried out against Taleban positions. It did not say whether there had been any casualties. | A statement said air strikes had been carried out against Taleban positions. It did not say whether there had been any casualties. |
| But the Afghan Defence Ministry said dozens of Taleban fighters had been killed or wounded. | But the Afghan Defence Ministry said dozens of Taleban fighters had been killed or wounded. |
| Local people have disputed the government account, saying some of those killed were civilians rather than Taleban. | |
| Sangin district police chief Ghulam Wali told the BBC the aim of the operation was to secure the road from the Shali area to Kajaki. | Sangin district police chief Ghulam Wali told the BBC the aim of the operation was to secure the road from the Shali area to Kajaki. |
| In the ambush in Zabul, six policemen were injured as well as those killed, officials said. | In the ambush in Zabul, six policemen were injured as well as those killed, officials said. |
| Interior Ministry spokesman Zmaray Bashary told the BBC that police had also inflicted heavy casualties on their attackers in a gun battle which had raged for 20 minutes. | Interior Ministry spokesman Zmaray Bashary told the BBC that police had also inflicted heavy casualties on their attackers in a gun battle which had raged for 20 minutes. |
| He said the ambush took place in Shahjoy district, a Taleban stronghold, as the police convoy travelled from Zabul to Ghazni. | He said the ambush took place in Shahjoy district, a Taleban stronghold, as the police convoy travelled from Zabul to Ghazni. |
| There was no way of independently verifying casualty figures in either incident. | There was no way of independently verifying casualty figures in either incident. |