Turkish soldiers injured in Afghan helicopter crash

The helicopter experienced technical problems as it tried to land at a base in Maidan Shar, the capital of Wardak province, said the provincial deputy police chief, Mirzak Khan. It hit a hill as it was coming down and rolled over, he said.

There were conflicting accounts about the number of people hurt in the crash. Khan said three of the helicopter’s four occupants were injured, including the pilot. But Maj. İsmail Meriç, a spokesman for the Turkish contingent in the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), said nobody was killed in the incident.

Earlier, the spokesman for the governor of Maidan-Wardak province, Shahidullah Shahid, said one Turkish soldier had been killed and three injured when the helicopter crashed into a mountain.

The international force described the aircraft as an ISAF helicopter. “An ISAF helicopter crashed today in Wardak province. According to initial reports, there were no fatalities and all ISAF service members on board were medically evacuated to nearby ISAF medical treatment facilities,” the ISAF said in a statement. “There are no indications enemy activity caused the incident. The incident is under investigation.”

The helicopter was operated by a Turkish provincial reconstruction team. Provincial reconstruction teams headed by different countries operate throughout Afghanistan and are composed of military officers, diplomats and development experts.