WASHINGTON, Oct 8: A US Defence Department spokesman on Monday denied a Taliban claim that it had managed to shoot down at least one warplane and a helicopter during Sunday’s airstrikes by US and British forces.

“I don’t have any information on any US planes down,” a Pentagon spokesman said, adding he was not aware of any reports about downed US helicopters either.

“I would not put much stock in anything the Taliban say now,” he stressed. He said the Pentagon was not going to respond to every allegation the Taliban were trying to put.

A Taliban envoy said in Islamabad had said earlier in the day that the militia had shot down at least one plane and that there were unconfirmed rumours three other aircraft had been downed.—AFP