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Afghan Chopper Crash Kills 31 U.S. Troops, 7 Afghans - WSJ.com
Terrible, Rest in Peace.
KABUL—A helicopter crash killed 31 U.S. special operations forces and seven Afghan troops in Afghanistan's central Wardak province, President Hamid Karzai said, in the single worst loss of life for American troops since the war began a decade ago.
The chopper, a Chinook, was shot down by a lone militant using a rocket-propelled grenade Friday night as it was taking off following a night raid, an Afghan government official said.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed credit for the attack and said eight Taliban also died during the night raid by American forces.
The U.S. military confirmed the crash and said it had reports of "enemy activity" in the area. Military officials said they were still investigating the incident and wouldn't comment on its causes.
The crash is the most deadly of the war and comes at a time when U.S. officials have been touting military figures showing a downturn in violence across Afghanistan.
One Afghan official said the Chinook was part of a night raid in a small village. The helicopter was hit by the insurgent fire as it was trying to ferry the Afghan and American forces to safety, the official said.
Poorly armed insurgents have rarely had success in shooting down U.S. helicopters in Afghanistan.
Until Friday night, the most deadly such crash took place in 2005, when an insurgent fired a rocket-propelled grenade into the open hatch of a Chinook, killing 16 American troops on a rescue mission.
But the ability to bring down foreign air power remains a potent psychological weapon in Afghanistan.
In the 1980s, the CIA provided Afghan rebels with deadly Stinger surface-to-air missiles that have been credited with helping to force the Soviets out of Afghanistan.
The U.S. has increasingly relied on Special Operations night raids to root out the Taliban, a tactic that has been criticized by Mr. Karzai's administration.
U.S.-led forces conduct scores of night raids each month, and military officials say the vast majority end without shots being fired.
In the first six months of this year, night raids killed 30 civilians—a 15% drop from the first six months of 2010, according to the United Nations.
Terrible, Rest in Peace.
KABUL—A helicopter crash killed 31 U.S. special operations forces and seven Afghan troops in Afghanistan's central Wardak province, President Hamid Karzai said, in the single worst loss of life for American troops since the war began a decade ago.
The chopper, a Chinook, was shot down by a lone militant using a rocket-propelled grenade Friday night as it was taking off following a night raid, an Afghan government official said.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed credit for the attack and said eight Taliban also died during the night raid by American forces.
The U.S. military confirmed the crash and said it had reports of "enemy activity" in the area. Military officials said they were still investigating the incident and wouldn't comment on its causes.
The crash is the most deadly of the war and comes at a time when U.S. officials have been touting military figures showing a downturn in violence across Afghanistan.
One Afghan official said the Chinook was part of a night raid in a small village. The helicopter was hit by the insurgent fire as it was trying to ferry the Afghan and American forces to safety, the official said.
Poorly armed insurgents have rarely had success in shooting down U.S. helicopters in Afghanistan.
Until Friday night, the most deadly such crash took place in 2005, when an insurgent fired a rocket-propelled grenade into the open hatch of a Chinook, killing 16 American troops on a rescue mission.
But the ability to bring down foreign air power remains a potent psychological weapon in Afghanistan.
In the 1980s, the CIA provided Afghan rebels with deadly Stinger surface-to-air missiles that have been credited with helping to force the Soviets out of Afghanistan.
The U.S. has increasingly relied on Special Operations night raids to root out the Taliban, a tactic that has been criticized by Mr. Karzai's administration.
U.S.-led forces conduct scores of night raids each month, and military officials say the vast majority end without shots being fired.
In the first six months of this year, night raids killed 30 civilians—a 15% drop from the first six months of 2010, according to the United Nations.
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