An Afghan National Army Sikorsky UH-60A Black Hawk helicopter made an emergency landing in Nahre Siraj district after a technical malfunction. three occupants are said to have died in the crash, even others were injured.
According to the head of the provincial council Attaullah Afghan, the incident happened when the helicopter took off from Gereshk district and crash landed in Nahre Siraj district in the province due to technical issue, he said.
Mohamamd Wali Haqmal, an officer who was on board, wanted to go observe his leave and return to his home in Lashkargah, but he lost his life in the incident, according to sources.
“Seven other security force members were wounded in the incident,” two sources said.
A spokesman for the Taliban, Mohammad Yusuf Ahmadi, said militants had shot down the helicopter. According to him, the incident took place in the Washir district of Helmand province. As a result, five people, including an Afghan army commander, three soldiers, and a pilot, were killed and wounded.
Ministry of Defense (MoD) in a statement, referring to downed Black Hawk, said “all reports so far indicate the helicopter was not shot down, despite Taliban claims.”
The statement confirmed three security force members–two national police and one ANA soldier–were killed.
