A total of 38 members of the US special forces, including those responsible for Osama bin Laden’s death, have died in a helicopter crash in eastern Afghanistan along with seven Afghans, a statement from Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s office said.
The helicopter, on a night-raid mission in the Tangi Valley of Wardak province, west of Kabul, was most likely brought down by a rocket-propelled grenade, one coalition official said.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, and they could hardly have found a more valuable target: U.S. officials said 22 of the dead were Navy SEAL commandos from two different special teams, including SEAL Team 6.
Other commandos from that team conducted the raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan, that killed bin Laden in May.
The officials said that those who were killed Saturday were not involved in the Pakistan mission.
The crash late today represents the biggest death toll in a single incident for international forces in Afghanistan since the start of the war in 2001.
Seven Afghans were also killed in the crash, the statement said, taking the total death toll in the incident to 38.
The Afghan defense ministry said they were also special forces.
“This helicopter crashed in Wardak province last night, as a result of which including the crew members, 31 personnel of American special forces lost their lives,” the presidential statement said.
“In this incident, seven Afghan forces were also killed.
“The President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan expresses his sympathy and deep condolences to US President Barack Obama and the family of the victims.”
SOURCE: dykpage.com
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