WASHINGTON,
November 24 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - In another setback
for the U.S. military, a combat helicopter carrying troops on a
nighttime mission crashed outside an American military base near the
Afghan capital Kabul Sunday, November 23, killing at least five
soldiers and injuring seven others.
Coming
on the heels of a spate of deadly helicopter crashes in Iraq, the
incident is certain to raise new questions about U.S. military
engagements overseas at a time when President George W. Bush is
beginning to campaign for re-election on the merits of his “war on
terror”, commented Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Although
no formal announcement has been made, the downed helicopter is
presumably a highly classified MH-53 Pave Low, one of the largest and
most technologically advanced choppers in the world, used primarily in
special operations.
"It
was an MH-53 transport helicopter. The personnel on board were Army
and Air Force," Major Mike Escudie, a spokesman for the U.S.
Central Command, told AFP.
The
only other U.S. helicopter of the MH-53 series, the Sea Dragon,
belongs to the Navy and is used in minesweeping operations.
In
a three-paragraph written statement, Central Command said the cause of
the crash remained unknown and was under military investigation.
"The
service members were supporting Operation Mountain Resolve," the
command said without providing any further details.
But
Escudie said the helicopter crashed as it was heading into the
mountains from Bagram Air Base at about sunset and was destroyed on
impact.
Operation
Mountain Resolve was launched earlier this month in an effort to hunt
down Taliban supporters and other militants in northeastern Nuristan
and Kunar provinces.
One
of its key goals is to deny sanctuary to remnants of the ousted
Taliban regime and its al-Qaeda supporters through finding and
destroying weapons caches and bases presumably located in the
mountainous region, according to defense officials.
No
information about the condition of the injured was immediately
available, according to Escudie.
"What's
limiting a final determination is the extent of the damage at the
site, which was inhibiting a full and final accounting," he
pointed out.
Escudie
said it was impossible to say whether the aircraft had encountered any
ground fire.
"It's
a tragedy," Republican Senator Jon Kyl commented in a television
interview.
But
the Arizona lawmaker stressed it was important for the United States
to stay the course in Afghanistan and Iraq, despite mounting losses in
both countries.
"I
think it's important for Americans... to convey the message to the
enemy that we can persevere longer than they can, that we have the
willpower to stay in this fight," Kyl told the Fox News Channel,
according to AFP.
The
MH-53 Pave Low is distinguished from its less sophisticated
counterparts by its terrain-avoidance radar, forward-looking infrared
sensor and projected map display, which enable the crew to avoid
obstacles while maintaining extremely low altitudes.
It
is protected with armor plating and three machine guns, and can
transport 38 troops.
Combat
helicopters of this type have been used to infiltrate and extract
special forces teams in Iraq, Afghanistan and other parts of the
world, experts told AFP.
