KABUL: A US soldier died after the helicopter he was in crashed in Afghanistan, foreign forces said on Saturday, denying Taliban claims that they had shot it down.

Six other US crew members were injured in the accident late on Friday in Logar province, south of Kabul, Nato’s Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan said in a statement.

The death brought the number of US soldiers killed in action in Afghanistan — where they are supposed to be in a non-combat role — so far this year to 11, two above the tally for the whole of last year.

“A US service member has died as a result of injuries sustained during a helicopter crash,” Resolute Support said.

US battlefield deaths have been relatively rare since the transfer of primary responsibility to Afghan forces at the end of 2014.

The Taliban, who have waged a 16-year campaign against foreign forces and their Afghan counterparts, said on Twitter that their militants brought down the aircraft.

But provincial governor spokesman Salim Saleh said the helicopter hit a tree after a “successful” operation to support ground troops in Kharwar district.

Policemen killed

At least nine police officers were killed on Saturday in separate attacks by Taliban militants on police checkpoints in eastern Ghazni province, a provincial official said.

Arif Noori, spokesman for the provincial governor, said two police checkpoints came under attack by Taliban fighters in the early hours leaving nine policemen dead and two others wounded.

He said six militants were killed and nine others were wounded in the battle, which lasted almost an hour.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. Their spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said 14 policemen were killed, including both commanders of the checkpoints.

Afghan forces have struggled to combat a resurgent Taliban since US and Nato forces formally concluded their combat mission at the end of 2014, switching to a counterterrorism and support role.

Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2017