Posted on 01/12/2014 2:39:05 PM PST by Hojczyk
The Taliban were responsible for downing a US Army Blackhawk helicopter in the southern Afghan province of Zabul on Dec. 17, 2013, the International Security Assistance Force has confirmed. The helicopter may have been brought down by an anti-helicopter mine such as one tested by the Islamic Jihad Union, an al Qaeda-linked group known to operate in the province.
When the helicopter crashed on Dec. 17, ISAF said that "initial reporting indicates there was no enemy activity in the area at the time of the crash." The Taliban immediately claimed credit for the attack on their website, Voice of Jihad, however, stating that "Mujahideen of Islamic Emirate have shot down the helicopter of foreign troops." [See Threat Matrix report, Taliban claim credit for ISAF helo crash in Afghan south.]
Two days ago, ISAF told CNN that "the families of the soldiers killed in the December 17 helicopter crash have been notified that 'enemy action caused the crash and loss of life,'" Stars and Stripes reported. Five US soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division and another from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment were killed in the Taliban attack.
The exact cause of the downing of the helicopter has not been disclosed. Three US military officials told CNN that "the Taliban has been deemed responsible -- either by shooting the helicopter or if the low-flying aircraft set off a bomb hidden on the ground."
In the past, the Taliban have successfully shot down US helicopters with rocket-propelled grenades. The most significant shootdown took place in August 2011 in the Tangi Valley in Wardak province. Taliban RPGs struck a US Army Chinook that was involved in a raid to capture a senior Taliban commander; the attack resulted in the deaths of 38 US and Afghan troops, including 17 Navy SEALs from SEAL Team 6.
(Excerpt) Read more at longwarjournal.org ...
But....but...but...I thought the Taliban were our “friends” now.
We should have dropped a few B-53’s on them....before they were all scrapped.
obozo had no intention of winning the war against his coreligionists.
Taliban will control Kabul by the end of the year
Deja vu all over again.....brings back memories of the Soviets having their helicopters shot down on a regular basis by the Taliban.
Guess those Libyan missiles are working their way through the system
Obama’s pals (the ones who were on the run until the election was over)
What is an anti-helicopter mine? Is it like an anti-submarine mine filled with helium?
Yep. al queda controls fallujah and ramadi. All according to commander zero’s plan.
A directional mine with sensors.
And of course the media, that complained when W wouldn’t let them photograph coffins at Dover AFB, says nothing.
Benghazi = Transfer of stinger air missiles and high tech US weapons to AlQaeda with sideshow of eliminating gay consulate guy. Why else would anyone sit around and watch this fiasco on Satellite TV in real time?
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