UPDATE - Helicopter crash kills 2 US soldiers in Afghanistan

UPDATES WITH STATEMENT BY TALIBAN, DEADLY CLASHES IN KUNDUZ

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan (AA) - At least two U.S. soldiers were killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan, the NATO-led Resolute Support mission said in a statement on Wednesday.

There were no details shared on the cause of the crash, which is said to be under investigation, however “preliminary reports do not indicate it was caused by enemy fire,” the statement said.

“In accordance with U.S. Department of Defense policy, the names of the service members killed in action are being withheld until 24 hours after notification of next of kin is complete,” it added.

However, the Taliban claimed to have shot down the chopper in southeastern Logar province.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the group’s spokesman, said in a statement the Chinook helicopter transporting the U.S. and Afghan forces was shot down during, killing “all 54 people onboard”.

“Following the incident, a large number of U.S. aircraft and helicopters arrived at the scene, cordoned off the area and began transferring the dead from the wreckage,” Mujahid said.

This came a day after a prison swap between the U.S. and the Taliban.

Elsewhere, at least 13 Afghan security forces were killed in the Taliban’s overnight raids in restive northern Kunduz province, local Salam Afghanistan radio reported.

However, the Defense Ministry claimed a coordinated raid by Taliban’s so-called “Red Unit” was thwarted in Kunduz’s Imam Saheb district, killing 10 insurgents and losing one soldier in an exchange of fire.