Deaths in Afghan helicopter crash

[bemildred]

Source: al Jazeera



A senior Afghan army commander and 12 other military officials have been killed after a helicopter crashed in western Afghanistan.

"General Fazel Ahmad Sayar, the army corps commander for the western region, and 12 other army personnel were martyred in the incident," the Afghan defence ministry said in Kabul on Thursday.

The helicopter was flying low due to bad weather when it hit a mountain in the Adraskan district of Herat province, the statement read.

The Taliban, who are fighting the government and foreign powers backing it, claimed they had shot it down.

Read more: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2009/01/2009115154321308498.html