Taliban attack ANA copter after emergency landing in Faryab

MAIMANA (Pajhwok): Taliban militants attacked an Afghan National Army (ANA) helicopter after it made an emergency landing in northern Faryab province on Tuesday, security officials said.

The helicopter with 17 ANA soldiers onboard was flying from Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of northern Balkh province, to Faryab when it performed an emergency landing in Pushtun Kot district at around 3pm, a security source told Pajhwok Afghan News.

After the emergency landing, Taliban attacked the soldiers and three crew members and the clash between the ANA personnel and militants was ongoing, the source said.

A local official in Pushtun Kot said the chopper made emergency landing in Ghar Tapa area. “As militants targeted the helicopter, it made an emergency landing and caught fire. Taliban took four people onboard with them,” another local source said.

A local resident, Naimatullah, confirmed the landing, saying that Taliban abducted the people onboard.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying they had abducted 10 people onboard the helicopter, including two foreign nationals, after targeting the chopper.

This is a developing story.

myn/ma

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