Taliban confirm all aboard crashed Punjab govt helicopter being held

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani instructs security forces to recover crew members

ISLAMABAD: Taliban sources on Friday confirmed all crew members of a Punjab government helicopter which crashed in Afghanistan a day earlier are in their custody.

"All crew members, including a Russian national, are in the custody of the Taliban commanders in their controlled areas in Logar," Taliban sources confirmed to The Express Tribune.

"They all are safe and a final decision will be taken by the leadership," a Taliban source said.

Earlier today, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani instructed security forces to recover crew members of Punjab government’s helicopter which crash-landed in eastern Afghanistan on Thursday, his special envoy for Pakistan Ambassador Omar Zakhilwal said.

Six people on board were taken hostage by the Taliban as the helicopter went down in Azra district.

Officials say that the helicopter belonged to Punjab and was heading to Russia for overhaul. “All crew members are safe,” ambassador Zakilwal told The Express Tribune.

“The President has been in the loop form the outset and has instructed the Governor of Logar as well as our security forces to assist in recovering of the hostages. I do believe there will be a peaceful ending to this,” he said.



The ambassador said the helicopter either caught fire after the crash-landing or was damaged beyond repair. “The Taliban have taken the crew to Wach Lagad area after the helicopter went down at a place called Matrai.”

Afghan sources also confirmed to The Express Tribune that the chopper had the “needed over-flight permission to fly to Uzbekistan over Afghanistan.”

‘Chopper had permission to use Afghan airspace’

The Afghan defence ministry on Friday confirmed that Pakistani government had sought permission from the Afghan foreign and aviation ministries to use the country's airspace.

“The Afghan government has instructed the defence and security agencies to investigate whether or not it was the same helicopter for which permission had been sought,” Afghan defence ministry spokesperson Daulat Waziri said.

He also said, in a statement posted online, that efforts are also underway for the safe recovery of the crew members of the helicopter.

Army chief calls Afghan president

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif called the Afghan president and sought his help in safe recovery of the crew members of Punjab govt's helicopter.

#COAS called Afghan President Ashraf Ghani today and asked him to help in safe and early recovery of crew members of Punjab govt heli....-1

— Gen(R) Asim Saleem Bajwa (@AsimBajwaISPR) August 5, 2016

that crash landed in Logar province of Afgn yesterday.Afghan President Ashraf Ghani assured all possible assistance in this regard-2

— Gen(R) Asim Saleem Bajwa (@AsimBajwaISPR) August 5, 2016

"Afghan President Ashraf Ghani assured all possible assistance in this regard," DG ISPR Lt-Gen Asim Saleem tweeted.

On Thursday, Bajwa had said General Raheel called General John Nicholson, the Resolute Support Mission’s commander, hours after the helicopter made the crash landing.

“COAS called Gen Nicholson, Commander RSM in Afghanistan, asked him to help in recovery of crew of Punjab government helicopter that crash-landed in Logar province,” Bajwa tweeted. “Gen Nicholson assured [Gen Raheel] of all possible help in this regard.”

The DG ISPR added that the Afghan government and ANA authorities have also been contacted for their assistance in recovering the crew members.