Taliban capture 9 foreigners as heli makes emergency landing

Afghan Taliban have captured three Americans and two Turkish engineers after their helicopter made emergency landing in Logar province, officials and Afghan media say.

The head of the Logar Provincial Council said that the Taliban captured five foreign nationals and four Afghans who were travelling in a helicopter in Azra District of Logar Province in eastern Afghanistan.

The head of the Logar Provincial Council, Abdol Wali Wakil, told Afghan Islamic Press [AIP] on Monday, that the helicopter made emergency landing due to bad weather in the Mangal area of Azra District late yesterday and the Taliban captured alive three Americans, two Turkish nationals and four Afghans, who were riding the helicopter.

The ISAF forces’ press office in Kabul admitted that one civilian helicopter had made landing in Afghanistan and ISAF started efforts to get the aircraft. The ISAF said they would not make public the details about the passengers of the helicopter.

Meanwhile Police Chief in Logar, Sadiq Khan, said that bad weather forced the helicopter to make emergency landing late Sunday.

He said Taliban have surrounded the area where the helicopter has made emergency landing in Mangal valley in Azra district, which is outside the control of government forces. He said the government officials are seeking help of the tribal leaders to get freed the captives.

Some Afghan officials have not yet confirmed that any American is among the captive, however, they claim that nine Turkish engineers were on-board.

Azra district of Logar province is located near the Pakistan border and is considered as Taliban stronghold.

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Posted by Tahir Khan on Apr 22 2013. Filed under Latest News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.