KABUL, Sept 25: Five US soldiers were killed when a military helicopter crashed on ‘Sunday in southeastern Afghanistan, but there were no signs it was brought down by hostile fire, the US military said. The CH-47 Chinook was returning from a mission when it crashed in insurgency-hit Zabul province, the military said in a statement that did not give details of the operation.

The helicopter came down in Deh Chopan district. The cause of the crash was being investigated and a recovery operation was under way, the statement said.

“There is no indication of enemy involvement in the crash,” it said.

A Taliban spokesman however claimed responsibility for the crash, after earlier telling AFP he was unaware of it.

The helicopter was shot down with a lightweight anti-aircraft weapon that had recently come into the Taliban’s hands, said spokesman Abdul Latif Hakimi.

“This weapon has been useful in targeting helicopters,” he said.—AFP