Taliban Shoots Down NATO Chinook

At least 7 dead in Afghan region still controlled by guerrillas
By Peter Fearon,  Newser Staff
Posted May 31, 2007 4:14 AM CDT
Taliban Shoots Down NATO Chinook
A U.S. military official says five U.S. soldiers were killed when a Chinook helicopter was apparently shot down in southern Afghanistan. (AP GRAPHIC)   (Associated Press)

Taliban fighters shot down a NATO Chinook helicopter in Afghanistan yesterday, killing all 7 on board, including five Americans. Guerrillas then ambushed rescuers attempting to reach the crash. The attack occurred in Helmand Province, a region of Afghanistan known for opium poppy cultivation and a strong Taliban presence, according to the Washington Post.

This is the 13th helicopter shot down in Afghanistan since the US invasion in 2002; 75 US soldiers have died in the crashes. NATO says it will crack down on Taliban fighters in the region. Meanwhile, the Taliban is trumping NATO's report, claiming 35 were killed in the Helmand crash. (More War on Terror stories.)

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