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US military confirms Afghan plane crash

The US military has confirmed one of its planes crashed in the eastern Afghan province of Ghazni on Monday, but disputed claims that the aircraft had been brought down by the enemy fire.

“While the cause of crash is under investigation, there are no indications the crash was caused by enemy fire,” US military spokesman Colonel Sonny Leggett said in a statement.

Leggett gave no information on casualties in the crash.

Pictures and a video on social media purportedly from the crash site showed what could be the remains of a Bombardier E-11A aircraft. The Reuters news agency could not verify the images.

Afghan forces were sent to the site immediately after receiving the report of the crash in the Deh Yak district, but were ambushed by Taliban fighters, Ghazni provincial police chief Khalid Wardak told Reuters.

Wardak said the forces subsequently received an order to retreat and airborne action is to be taken instead.

Confirming the reports of clashes, Zabiullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, said Afghan forces backed by US military had tried to capture the area around the crashed aircraft.

He told Reuters that the Taliban would allow a rescue team access to recover bodies from the crash site.

“Taliban fighters on the ground counted six bodies at the site of the US plane crash,” Mujahid said.

The Taliban, which currently controls or holds sway over around half the country, earlier claimed the plane was brought down.

“The plane, which was on an intelligence mission, was brought down in Sado Khel area of Deh Yak district of Ghazni province,” said Taliban spokesman Mujahid in a statement.

He did not say how the fighters had brought down the plane, which was used to provide communication capabilities in remote locations.

Mujahid said the crew on board included high-ranking officers from the United States, but a senior US defence official denied that senior American officers were involved.

The armed group, which has been waging a war against the US-led forces since 2001, often exaggerates enemy casualty figures.

Local Afghan officials had said earlier on Monday that a passenger plane from the state-owned Ariana Airlines had crashed in the Taliban-held area. However, the airline denied initial reports that it was the owner of the plane.

— AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES

caption: The wreckage of the US military aircraft that crashed in Ghazni province

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