Share this article
Print this page
Email a friend
- RSS
- Today's Paper
- Subscribe
- beta 2.0
High: 33°C
Low: 27°C
Alerts
Afghan insurgency: A decade on, NATO troops face deadliest day
31 US soldiers killed as Taliban down Chinook.
31 US soldiers killed as Taliban down Chinook-PHOTO-FILE
PULI ALAM, AFGHANISTAN:
Thirty-one US special forces and seven Afghans died when the Taliban shot down their helicopter, officials said on Saturday, the deadliest incident yet for foreign troops in a decade-long war.
All were killed during an anti-Taliban operation late Friday when a rocket fired by the insurgents struck their Chinook helicopter in Wardak province, southwest of Kabul, as they prepared to leave after a firefight.
Among those killed in the helicopter crash in Afghanistan were members of Navy SEALs Team 6, some of whom were based in Hampton Roads. US officials, however, said they believe that none of the Navy SEALs killed in the crash had participated in the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, although they were from the same unit that carried out the bin Laden mission.
The death toll was given in a statement from Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s office but was not immediately confirmed by the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf). “The president of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan expresses his sympathy and deep condolences to US President Barack Obama and the family of the victims,” it said.
The Afghan defence ministry said the local troops who died were members of the country’s special forces.
Twenty-five of the dead were US Navy SEALs, US television network ABC News reported. The Pentagon declined to comment on the cause or number of deaths.
Obama paid tribute to the American and Afghan troops who died and said the incident was a reminder of the ‘extraordinary sacrifices’ made by the men and women of the US military and their families.
(Read: Afghanistan and the US troops’ withdrawal)
US special forces play a key role in the fight against the Taliban and other insurgents by hunting down and killing fighters in targeted night raids.
The Friday night strike was by far the worst to hit foreign soldiers since American and other international forces invaded Afghanistan to oust the Taliban in 2001 in the wake of the September 11 attacks.
The previous biggest death toll saw 16 American soldiers killed in 2005 when a Taliban rocket hit their Chinook in the eastern province of Kunar.
One man who said he witnessed Friday’s crash, Mohammad Saber, told AFP that the helicopter plummeted during a late-night operation in his village.
“At around 10:00pm last night, we heard helicopters flying over us,” he said. “We were at home. We saw one of the helicopters land on the roof of a house of a Taliban commander, then shooting started. “The helicopter later took off but soon after taking off it went down and crashed. There were other helicopters flying as well.”
Wardak provincial spokesman Shahidullah Shahid said the crash happened in Sayd Abad district during an operation against Taliban insurgents.
“The US chopper that crashed last night was shot down by the Taliban as it was taking off,” he said. “A rocket fired by the insurgents hit it and completely destroyed it.”
The Afghan army commander for the region, General Abdul Razeq, also said the helicopter was “shot down by a rocket fired by the enemy.”
A spokesman for Isaf said it would issue a statement “at an appropriate moment.”
Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said that they were responsible for shooting down the helicopter, which he said was an American Chinook, and acknowledged that eight insurgents had been killed.
“They wanted to attack our mujahideen (holy warriors) who were in a house, but our mujahideen resisted and destroyed a helicopter with a RPG (rocket-propelled grenade),” Mujahid said.
“Eight mujahideen were martyred and 38 Americans were killed and today they [US soldiers] carried away parts of their plane and shattered pieces of their bodies.”
A Western military source speaking on condition of anonymity also confirmed the helicopter type.
Chinooks are widely used by coalition forces in Afghanistan for transporting large numbers of troops and supplies around the war zone.
The latest deaths take the total number of foreign troops killed in Afghanistan this year to 342, according to an AFP tally based on the independent website iCasualties.org. Of those, 279 were from the United States.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 7th, 2011.
Reader Comments (56)
Latest News
Taking lives
Do we want to have a system of capital punishment in a police and judicial system as flawed as ours?
Battling the monster of sectarianism
The CII seeks to organise a movement against the sweeping threat of sectarian violence in the country.
Two ‘victors’ under pressure
Pakistan, Iran’s economies are lurching, because of America’s punitive measures and international isolation.
The French were always the leaders
French intellectuals were quick to recognise the artistic potential of cinema.
Going cuckoo over a coup
Shekhar Gupta, editor-in-chief of The Indian Express, wants Rs100 crore from his peer, Outlook’s Vinod Mehta.
Recent Slideshows
More in World
Offbeat: The man who wears his heart on his back
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, redistributed or derived from.
Unless otherwise stated, all content is copyrighted © 2012 The Express Tribune News Network.
Technical feedback? webmaster@tribune.com.pk
Ah…yet another Vietnam in the making..!
Recommend
That title is a bit weird. Being a US citizen, I can’t complain that the 31 were emphasized. But, not using 38 in the title puts a pretty messed up value on the 7 Afghans.
Recommend
This is clear that Taliban want to extend this war to put burden on US economy which US is not realizing. I think US should pull out immediately to avoid further losses. Let Afghans decide themselves what is right for them.
Recommend
Though the ISAF spokesperson said the incident was due to a technical failure, but the Taliban claimed to have shot down the helicopter.
One thing is clear that in technical failure crashes not all the people on board get fatal damages or killed. This is because in technical failures the pilot somehow controls the chopper and bring it down to the ground and the chopper only gets minor jolts and bumps. However, in ‘shoot down’ crashes the chopper explodes in the air or the pilot losses control and thus the helicopter smashes into the ground leaving almost all the passengers dead. This is what may have happened with this US chopper.
Recommend
How come navy Seals didn’t get a scratch when their helicopter was damaged in Abbotabad Operation but this time they died…..
**”Americans have to justify their presence in Afghanistan as the Taliban can not even hit and kill their own president and are prone to Drone attacks daily but are threat to USA so much so that they fly all the way to hit these poor people”**Recommend
Wah! what a coincident! there the credit rating of US fell to double A and here Taliban shot down a US Helicopter killing 31 people. Are we going into another economic catastrophe? because killing this many soldiers won’t keep US silent for long.
Recommend
This proves Osama’s point yet again: ‘We will bleed Americans in Afghanistan to death’. Yesterday’s report that for the first time America’s triple AAA credit rating has faltered is a clear indication of what’s happening.
Recommend
This is bad news. The Americans will retaliate with 31000 killings. Even worse times stare us in the face. Sad outlook.
Recommend
US should pull out of Afghanistan as soon as they can.. It will be better for them and for the whole world.
Recommend
@Nazib.. your claim that pilot somehow controls the chopper” is absurd.. it happens only in movies.. there are a lot of chopper crashes in the world where all the people on board die.. in last two yrs two chief ministers from India along with all on board died in chopper crashed.. both were attributed to technical reasons… but I’m not denying that Taliban may have shot this chopper down.. I guess it will be clear with more details in future
Recommend
Sad. 2 more years US Soldiers will be out of there and Pakistan will have to answer for supporting these brutes.
Recommend
Seems like remaking of Cold war .
Recommend
As you sow so shall you reap…..
Recommend
Its amazing to see all the so called liberals disappear when you their master get wounded….
Recommend
This is yet another big blow to the Obama in a week’s period, which will further bring down his popularity and adversely affect his 2012 compaign.
Recommend
Revenge for Abbotabad ?
Recommend
Interestingly as per the latest news, the special Ops which were killed in this attack earlier today were the Navy Seals who conducted OBL operation in Pakistan. Am i missing some thing ? whistle blowers taken off by US ? whole OBL operation seemed such a fiasco and fake.
Recommend
@Vicram Singh:
Way to go Sherlock!! or Or Our Indian “Zaid Hamid”…
Any way problem with this match up is American can’t be sure they got all the bad guys this time as they are not wearing any uniform. Their kill has more chance to be called innocent civilian where as American dead soldiers will definitely not be called innocent as they have invaded. so win win for Talibans unfortunately.
Recommend
Brave mujaheddin can defend their country…coward Armed forces of napakistan are humiliated daily..
Recommend
hahaha yeaahhhh baby!
gotta love taliban for this one!
Recommend
How will pakistan tackle the talibans after 1 year when american are half out of afghanistan.
The taliban will resurge and will be a great threat to Delhi/islamabad.with america down economically i see threat to the western form of life on this planet.
Recommend
@MH:
Title is absolutely right. Only Americans are the human beings ..rest are just useless creatures!
Recommend
It took me sometime to see this news on ET page. This news shall be the headline on ET.
Recommend
What a gift for Pakistan. Paki say that Taliban are putting a burden on USA economy. It is true. But these Paki commenters writing here are residing in the West with their children safe so they do not give a damn what is happening inside Pakistan. The counrty itself is broke. 70% of each rupees printed goes to defense expenditure. USA has suspended their aid. IMF/World Bank are not willing to bail out Pakistan. If USA as super power cannot tackle Taliban, how is Pakistan going to defend themselves. Like Mehern base case and retreat?
Recommend
@khurram kaleem:
Beat them… and thats the only option left for Pakistan. Coz they won’t let you join them
Recommend
Russia lost and left
America lost and leaving
I am worried how we will deal/handle Taliban after America leaves?
More afghan refugees coming our way? This country is having problem dealing with its own population…
Recommend
Bad stuff happens during war — but you won’t find American’s whining about it – and their Secretary of State won’t make a dumb speech blaming it on Star Wars characters or mysterious third parties – they will suck it up and persevere.
Recommend
“I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy.” – Martin Luther King, Jr
Recommend
@BruteForce:
“Sad. 2 more years US Soldiers will be out of there and Pakistan will have to answer for supporting these brutes”
India is involved to weaponizing Taliban against Americans and NATO its 100% Truth. Its a High Level Cunning Game of India Against Americans and Pakistanis.They are not Sincere even with their any Neighbour then how can they Sincere with United States of America.They want to capture all Afghanistan like a Fox. Americans have to think about it atleast one time only and work on it, then everything will be clear that Pakistan is the Real Best Friend of Americans. JUST IMAGINE AND THINK AMERICAN GENERALS SILENTLY.
Recommend
@BruteForce:
“Sad. 2 more years US Soldiers will be out of there and Pakistan will have to answer for supporting these brutes.”
India is Involved to Weaponizing Taliban against Americans and Pakistan. They are not even Sincere with any of its Neighbours then how can they Sincere with Americans.It is a Cunning Game by India 100% Truth. They also want to Capture all Afghanistan like a Fox without financing. Americans have to think about it atleast One time and work on it then they will see that Pakistan is the Real Best Friend of Americans. AMERICAN GENERALS HAVE TO THINK ON IT WITH THEIR THINK TANKS SILENTLY.
Recommend
Good news!!!
America Is an invader and deserves this!
Having a history full of violence and killing civilians from hiroshima to Nagasaki to Vietnam to Afghanistan to Iraq to waziristan and the support for the killing of innocent civilians in Palestine!!
Taliban have successfully destroyed the American economy!
Most successfully war strategy of modern times!
Recommend
The evil forces(NATO) are being defeated by Mujahedins.
Congratulations to Taliban.
Well done.keep it up.
Now the whole world including India and Pakistan,has just 2 options;
1.with Mujahedins.
2.against Mujahedins.
“Those who are against mujahedins will be perished in the coming days.”
I don’t expect non-muslims to agree with me,but Muslim Should definately agree with me.Recommend
Glad to know that Afghanistan is becoming a new graveyard of current Superpower. My all best wishes are with Aameerul-Moomi-neen Mulla Muhammad Omer Mujahid (Damat Barka-tuhum) and all his followers
Recommend
Again very sad. I feel really sorry for the great American soldiers who came all the way from America to protect their homeland. They don’t deserve this.
Recommend
@MS – Mariya:
Congratulations, some very sensible and humane comments at your end. Keep up the good work.
Recommend
@Malik Sajjad.
You are 100% correct. India is weaponising Taliban. From all the Paki comments here, Talibans are winning against a Superpower. After the American leave, it will be Indian “weaponised” Taliban against Pakistan. How long do you think Pakistan will last? Just days and that will the the END of Pakistan.
Recommend
@Asif: Yes you are glad of the American graveyard. Do you know that Paki has lost over 35,000 of its own people in this war. Yes, you will not believe me, but your own Govt. says so. Can you name the graveyard that these 35,000+ are burried?
Recommend
ALLAH AKBAR! All praise is for Allah and momineen.
Allah will grant victory to you if you remain steadfast in its way.
Recommend
Coming inside pakistan territory where pakistani military was not considering you as enemy and then even there losing a stealth helicopter while shooting an unarmed family is touted as one of the greatest military covert operations by american media and I believed your prowess with dogs and all that 21st century warfare techniques.. Now when you fight the real enemy even though with 20th century hand held rockets boom !!! your lousy chinook helicopter with all 25 NAVY SEAL units went boom!! including a warfare dog. This is real warfare and match your prowess here and boast no more… !!! .. This fight is won by Taliban Hands down !!! No questions..Even though I support America .Who cares!!.
Recommend
Well Well Well, that was the last nail in the coffin regarding proof of UBL death, now no one knows whether he was there or not, a big question mark whether it was just a drama or US just wanted to defame Pak all around. I guess US credibility should be questioned here. As far as these comments regarding Pak will get destroyed after US leaves with India help, its just like day dreaming. If it was US who could not do it yet after a 10 years of war, I can imagine it will take more than a century for India to even get closer. All I can say is just stay happy and dream about a broken Pakistan. I aint a Pakistani but still US have tried over and over and over to push Pak off the rail with anti Pak Gov and Generals, with 50 years of troubled past, having more enemies than friends, that country still manage to live which is the result of FEAR among others which is shown as desperation.
Recommend
@ANSARULLAH:
Killing inocent soldiers is not Jihad,
Recommend
If they want the US gone, that was a really stupid move. The withdrawal is due to time passing and tempers cooling down. The US really isn’t the type to shrug something like that off. It has a pretty significant vindictive streak when it comes to their people dying and it usually comes in the form of not an eye for an eye but all four of your limbs for an eye.
Recommend
It has been over 48 hours, why has it not been blamed on Pakistan yet? Something is not right…Come on ‘free’ US corporate( and US government mouthpiece) media, you can do better than that…
Recommend
@Karim:
The term INNOCENT may be used for a nonbeliever living peacefully in a Muslim country not for a soldier kiling muslims in a muslim country.
Recommend
@MH:
Talibans not just want US to leave. They want them to bleed while leaving.
Recommend
@Zahid Qureshi:
i mean what a tiny fickle brain matter do you have in your head. Don’t just forward an argument for the sake of it. Do you know the probability of exact same out come of two separate accidents?
Recommend
@antony:
“unarmed family” BRAVO BRAVO….BRAVO !!
which world do you live in???
Recommend
@Sami:
Pakistan should stop its underground showrooms of terrorists. “It will be better for them and for rest of the world”.
Recommend
@Malik Sajjad:
“India is Involved to Weaponizing Taliban against Americans and Pakistan. “
And, you know this how? So, you and whoever you got the “information” from have better Intelligence than the World’s sole Super Power?
Where was Osama found? Where is Mullah Omar believed to be hiding? Or, why is Pakistan not taking action against the Haqqanis in North Waziristan, who operate freely?
Dont make India the scapegoat for your mistakes..
Recommend
@Karim:
INOCENT … OH MY GOD … :D :D
Recommend
@MS – Mariya:
We dont have problem before 911 with Taliban. So, no worry…. by happy. they are just fighting for their freedom, as our ancestors have fought in 1947 against british rules.
Recommend
Of the 31 marines 20 were used in Abbotabad operation!
Possibilly american shot the chinook themselves to destroy facts of abbotabad operation!!!!!!!!!!!!
American are not stupids they can do anything…
Recommend
@BruteForce:
The Super Power will told you later about that, just see.CIA is working on it. After they know about your real Face then a Super Atomic Attack on India possibly. ISI will give them the real Information of Involvement of India with Taliban and also involve in to destabalizing Pakistan.Remember Pakistan is a Front Line State in the War and America knows about that properly, also they know what happened in Pakistan till now due to War against Terrorism ? and they know you Indians just barking only …
Recommend
@BruteForce:
Super Power will told you everything, Just see. CIA is working on it. when they will see your real face then a Super Atomic Attack on India possibly.ISI will give them the real proof of involvement of India with Taliban weaponized, also involved in to Destabalizing Balochistan and whole Pakistan. Americans also know that Pakistan is the Front Line State in WAR. They know as well that how many Pakistanis died and injured in War ? and what happened in Pakistan till now due to WAR against TERROR ? They also know what can do Indians? LAST THING, INDIA IS NOT THE “SCAPEGOAT” ITS THE REAL SHARP GOAT AND READY FOR EAT …
Recommend
Its unfortunate but looks like the Taliban is going to win this war. Afghanistan was degenerate into warlord enclaves after the US leaves, and its unlikely GHQ will fight terrorists in FATA.
Bad news in the long term.
Recommend
US should leave Afghanistan immediately.
Why should they bother if Afghanistan people are oppressed and killed by Taliban? Why should they want democracy and elections to be held there? When Afghanis want to live in 7th century, why should US try to impose modernity on them?
Muslims have always tolerated other muslims killing them. Let the people of Afghanistan stew in their own soup and there is no need to sacrifice the lives of US citizens.
If Taliban wants to rule over Afghanistan, let them. This is what Pakistanis, our ally on war on terror, want. Let them have nice cosy relationship with each other.
All US should do is secure its borders by closing down its embassy in Pakistan and restricting visas only to a very select few, to avoid getting bombed by radicalised Pakistanis.
US and other international community should shut their eyes and ignore whatever human rights disasters take place in Afghanistan. They do not need help from others. Let them fight and if they can’t, let them perish. The world will be better off with a few millions less Muslim population.
Recommend