2nd LD writethru: 3 killed, 18 seized after helicopter makes crash landing in Afghanistan

Two Afghan army personnel and one foreign national were killed and 18 others seized by Taliban insurgents after a contracted helicopter made a crash landing in northern Afghanistan's province of Faryab on Tuesday, the Defense Ministry confirmed Wednesday.

"A Mi-17 helicopter belonged to a foreign company was travelling from Mazar-i-Sharif city to northern Faryab province on Tuesday. At around 2:00 p.m. (local time), the chopper made an emergency landing following a technical problem in Pashton Kot district of Faryab province," the ministry said in a statement.

The helicopter squad engaged the Taliban insurgents' fighters shortly after the incident. As a result, two Afghan army soldiers and one foreigner belonged to the company were killed, the statement said without giving the nationality of the killed foreigner.

"Another 18 people aboard the helicopter were captured by the insurgents. The Afghan security forces have carried out a cleanup operation to locate and rescue the seized people," the statement said without providing details.

"Further information about the incident will be released later," it said.

The Faryab province with Maimana as its capital, 425 km northwest of Afghan capital, has been the scene of fierce clashes between the Afghan security forces and Taliban militants in the past couples of months. Endit