6 US-led troops killed in Afghanistan chopper crash

At least six US-led foreign soldiers have been killed after their military helicopter went down in the troubled southern Afghanistan.

“Six ISAF service members died following an aircraft crash in southern Afghanistan today,” the Western military contingent said in a statement on Tuesday.

“The cause of the crash is under investigation, however initial reports indicate there was no enemy activity in the area at the time of the crash,” it added.

The statement did not provide any information about the identity of the soldiers and the exact location of the incident.

The Taliban have claimed responsibility for the deaths, saying their members had shot down a US helicopter in the southern province of Zabul.

According to figures released by the website icasualties.org, the overall number of US-led soldiers killed so far this year in Afghanistan stands at 149, out of which 119 are American.

A total of 402 US-led soldiers lost their lives in Afghanistan in 2012. However, 2010 remains the deadliest year for US-led military casualties, with a death toll of 711.

In late April, the Taliban announced the start of their annual offensive against US-led and Afghan forces, vowing they would use “every possible tactic” to inflict casualties on Afghan and US-led forces. They specifically mentioned insider and bomb attacks.

The announcement prompted Afghan authorities to beef up security in major cities across the country, including the capital city of Kabul.

The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror. The offensive removed the Taliban from power, but the country is still gripped by insecurity.