At least 9 killed in Afghan military helicopter crash
- A member of the Provincial Council assures that fighters of the Hazara militia attacked the vehicle
At least nine members of the Afghan Army died on Thursday in a military helicopter crash in the Maidan Wardak province, in central Afghanistan , the causes of which have yet to be clarified. The Mi-17 helicopter crash occurred in the Behsud district, killing four pilots and five members of the security forces, the Defense Ministry said in a statement. “The Defense Ministry is investigating and gathering information on what happened,” the note said, so it is still unknown whether it occurred due to technical problems or an attack.
The deputy governor of Maidan Wardak, Jawad Muradi, told EFE that the incident occurred at around 2:00 am (9:30 pm GMT on Wednesday), without providing further details.
Behsoud district is a relatively safe region, but active militias remain under the command of Hazara minority commander Ali Poor, who has clashed with Afghan security forces several times in the past.
A member of the Maidan Wardak Provincial Council, Sharifullah Hotak, assured EFE that fighters from the Hazara militia attacked the helicopter , which was supplying the security forces at the district headquarters. “When the helicopter was landing, armed men of Commander Ali Poor opened fire on the aircraft and shot it down, killing five members of the security forces and four pilots,” said Hotak.
Violence in Afghanistan continues at very high levels despite intra-Afghan peace talks that have taken place since last September in Doha between the Taliban and the Afghan government, which seek to end two decades of war in dialogue.