Click to see full-size image. Source: the Taliban.
On June 9, the Ministry of Defense of Afghanistan announced that a Mi-17 military helicopters had crash landed in the district of Jaghato in the central province of Maidan Wardak.
In a statement, the minister said that the helicopter was sent to the district to evacuate wounded security forces members. The ministry acknowledged three security forces members were killed and one more was wounded in the incident.
The Taliban claimed that the helicopter was shot down by its fighters. According to the Afghan group, the helicopter was on its way to Jaghato district center, where government forces are currently besieged.
ولاية وردك| أسقطت قوات إمارة #أفغانستان الإسلامية “#طالبان” مروحية عسكرية للجيش العميل أثناء محاولة العملاء إيصال المؤن للجنود المحاصرين في مركز مديرية (جغتو) pic.twitter.com/6hZVbhmbKV
— شؤون أفغانية (@AfghanAffairs7) June 9, 2021
This was the second such incident this week. On June 7, an Afghan military helicopter, also a Mi-17, crash landed in the central province of Daikundi. Back then, the Taliban claimed that the helicopter was shot down by its fighters.
The Afghan Air Force operates around 50 Mi-8\17 helicopters in its “Special Mission Wing.” These helicopters are mainly used to support the special operations of the Afghan National Army Commandos.
