Taliban Shot Down ANA Chopper In Baghlan

Taliban insurgents shot down an Afghan National Army (ANA) helicopter in northern Baghlan province of Afghanistan early this morning, local officials said on Sunday.

Firozuddin Aymaq, a member of Baghlan provincial council told Ariana News that two helicopters were trying to provide logistics support to the besieged ground forces in Qurghantepa area were attacked by the Taliban militants.

He added that one of the helicopters was shot down, but he did not say anything about causalities.

Later on a statement from the Afghan Defense Ministry said the crash took place due to a technical problem with the aircraft, killing four crew members and three army soldiers.

Qurghantepa area is belong to Pul-e-Khumri city located in the neighborhood of Dand Ghori district where a check point of Afghan forces is under siege by the Taliban insurgents.

At the same time local officials report that six Afghan National Civil Order Police (ANCOP) check posts were overrun by the Taliban militants in Kunduz – Baghlan way.

But police officials have not made a comment about this report yet.

This comes as the Taliban militants have intensified attacks on several key northern provinces including Baghlan and the strategic Kunduz province during the recent months.