Kabul: NATO forces say a Canadian helicopter
has gone down in southern Afghanistan but no one was injured.
The craft went down this afternoon in Kandahar province`s
Panjwai District, a volatile area under the command of
Canadian forces. NATO forces spokesman Maj Michael Johnson
says the craft made a "hard landing" and then caught fire.
Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi claimed the
insurgent group shot the craft down with a rocket. Johnson
said the cause of the incident is being investigated and
hostile fire has not been ruled out.
A shopkeeper said he heard a loud bang, then saw smoke
and the helicopter falling into a field.
Johnson said the five crew members and five passengers
have been recovered safely.
PTI