A U.S. military helicopter has crashed in Afghanistan according to American military sources. The incident took place west of the city of Asadabad in the province of Konar in eastern Afghanistan.
The Chinook helicopter was carrying troops at the time of the crash although the army would not specify how many soldiers were on board. A Chinook can hold as many as 36 soldiers at one time including crew.
The cause of the crash was also not known at this time although the vehicle was taking part in an anti-guerilla operation at the time of the crash.
'The cause of the crash and status of survivors is unknown at this time,' American armed forces said in a statement. 'U.S. fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters are currently providing close air support to the forces on the ground.'
This is the second time this year that a Chinook helicopter has gone down in Afghanistan. In April, 18 soldiers were killed when a Chinook went down during a sandstorm.
Published reports by the BBC indicate that a spokesman for the Taliban asserts that the group had shot down the plane but there has been no independent confirmation of that claim.
