Taliban bring down U.S. helicopter
To kill Americans and seven Afghan soldiers during an operation to fight the Taliban on Friday night when a rocket fired by insurgents landed their planes hit the Chinook in Wardak province, southwest of the capital Kabul.
Given the number of deaths in a statement issued by the office of President Hamid Karzai and was not confirmed immediately by the NATO-led International Force for Security Assistance (ISAF).
"The president of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan expresses its deep sympathy and condolences to U.S. President Barack Obama and the family of the victims," said he.
The Afghan Defense Ministry said the local forces who were killed as they were special forces.
The U.S. television network ABC News, twenty-five of the dead U.S. Navy SEALs. The Pentagon refused to comment on the case or the number of deaths. And the strike so far the worst to hit the foreign forces since the beginning of U.S. and other international invaded Afghanistan to oust the Taliban in 2001 following the attacks of September 11.
Witnessed the largest number of deaths the previous 16 deaths of U.S. soldiers killed in 2005 when a missile hit the Chinook of the Taliban in the eastern province of Kunar.
A man who said he witnessed the crash on Friday, Mohammed Sabir, told AFP that the helicopter landed during an operation in late at night in his village.
"At about 10:00 pm Wednesday (1730 GMT), we heard helicopters flying over our heads," he said.
"We were in the house. We saw one of the helicopters land on the roof of a house of Taliban commander, then began shooting.
"The helicopter took off at a later time, but shortly after takeoff and crashed landed. There were helicopters flying again as well."
A spokesman for the province of Wardak, a martyr that the incident occurred in an area Sayed Abad during an operation against Taliban fighters who are waging war against forces loyal to the government since he was ousted from power in 2001.
"The man opened fire on U.S. helicopter that crashed last night by the Taliban as they were taking off," he said. "A rocket fired by militants and destroyed completely."
He added that the helicopter had broken into several parts.
Afghan army commander in the region, Gen. Abdul Raziq, and he also said he was "shot down by a rocket fired by the enemy." Helicopter
A spokesman for ISAF, said it would issue a statement "in the right moment."
He said a Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, a rebel group was responsible for shooting down the helicopter, which he said was a U.S. Chinook, and admitted that he killed eight insurgents.
The Western military source said on condition of anonymity also confirmed the type of helicopter.
And used widely by coalition forces Chinooks in Afghanistan to transport large numbers of troops and supplies throughout the war zone.
Elsewhere in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, ISAF said another helicopter made a "precautionary landing" in the province of Khost near the border with Pakistan.
A spokesman added that the killing of any person on board the plane and there were no reports of serious injuries. There are no reports of rebel activity in the area at the time.
The deaths take the number of foreign troops killed in Afghanistan this year to 342, according to a count by Agence France Presse report based on the independent site iCasualties.org. Of those, 279 of the United States.
There are currently about 140,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan, and about 100,000 of them from the United States.
Has already begun to withdraw some troops as part of the process which is scheduled to see all foreign combat forces to leave the country by the end of 2014, despite the fact that the Taliban are still waging a bloody insurgency.
U.S. special forces play a key role in the war against the Taliban and other rebels from chasing and killing militants in overnight raids targeting.
A military spokesman said a foreign unit, it may be of Afghan civilians were trapped in an air strike against NATO armed suspected Taliban on Saturday, amid claims of up to eight civilians were killed.
A local official said the death of the imam and his wife and their six children in an air strike in Nad Ali district in the state of southern Afghanistan, Helmand on Friday.
Explain what happened, and provincial governor said Shadi Khan: "A group of Taliban fighters attacked a foot patrol of NATO troops.
"Later in the air strike targeted the house of the imam of a mosque in the region. As a result, the imam, and killed his wife and six children."
A spokesman for the NATO-led force International Security Assistance (ISAF) in Kabul, foreign forces to discuss the incident with senior local officials.
"They have attacked a coalition patrol with armed rebels RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades) and small-arms fire in the Nad Ali," the spokesman said.
"Coalition forces received small arms fire and continued to launch air strikes against rebel positions.
"Shortly after the engagement, ISAF has learned that civilians held captive by the rebels, may have been present during the strike."
A spokesman for Helmand province, Daoud Ahmadi, he was "aware that there are some civilian casualties as a result of NATO air strike in Nad Ali district" and that he was sending an official delegation to investigate.
Correspondence, especially from Washington and adds: President Barack Obama Saturday mourned the death of American soldiers and Afghans who were killed when a helicopter was shot down in the reports that were going to the military mission in Afghanistan to the bottom.
In a statement, said: "The deaths are a reminder of the sacrifices made by exceptional men and women in our armed forces and their families, including all those who served in Afghanistan."
Did not confirm his statement, the death toll or other details about the incident the worst ever air in Afghanistan.
"We will find out from their lives, and continue to work to secure our homeland and defend the values that they embody," said Obama, adding: "I also mourn the loss of seven Afghans who died side by side with our troops in pursuit of a more peaceful future and hope for their country."
He said Obama, who learned of the incident, which occurred at Camp David, his thoughts and prayers to the families of those who died.
Sent Afghan President Hamid Karzai expressed his condolences to Obama, according to a statement issued by his office.
The Taliban claimed to have brought the helicopter with a rocket attack.
NATO officials in Afghanistan said they were trying to determine the details of what happened, but admitted there were "enemy action" in the region.
Exceeded the proceeds of the worst loss in a single day of life for the US-led coalition in Afghanistan since the war began in 2001 - June 28, 2005 downing of a military helicopter in the eastern province of Kunar. In this incident, killing 16 Navy SEALs and special operations forces in the army when they were shot while they were trying their craft to rescue four SEALs are under attack by the Taliban.
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