Civilian helicopter crashes at south Afghan base; US chopper makes emergency landing in east

Civilian helicopter crashes at Afghan base

KABUL — A civilian helicopter crashed at NATO’s largest base in southern Afghanistan on Sunday, while a U.S. military helicopter made an emergency landing in the east, officials said.

It was not immediately known whether the helicopter crash at Kandahar Air Field caused any casualties. U.S. military spokeswoman Lt. Cmdr. Christine Sidenstricker said there was no indication that insurgent fire was behind the crash. No other details were immediately released.

In the east, a U.S. military helicopter made an emergency landing in Kunar province, the military said in a statement. Sidenstricker said no enemy fire was reported near the helicopter.

Personnel on the helicopter were taken to a medical facility for treatment, but no other details were released.

The two incidents follow the downing of an Mi-6 transport helicopter in southern Afghanistan last week by Taliban militants. Six Ukrainian civilians and an Afghan child on the ground died in the crash.

Earlier in July, two Canadian soldiers and one British trooper were killed in a helicopter crash in Zabul province. Officials said that crash did not appear to be a result of hostile fire.