KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN: An Afghan military helicopter crashed on Thursday, killing 17 people aboard, officials said, in a blow for a fledgling air force whose resources have been stretched since the end of the international combat mission last year.
Two senior commanders in southern Afghanistan, where the crash took place, said 12 soldiers and five crew were killed in the crash. Both officers requested anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media.
The Ministry of Defence confirmed the accident in Zabul province, but said it would release details later.
Earlier, Gul Islam Seyal, the spokesperson for the Zabul provincial government, had blamed the crash on technical difficulties as the helicopter ferried supplies.
