Victims of helicopter crash in Farah identified

FARAH CITY (Pajhwok): A military general, six government officials, seven civilians and 12 security personnel killed in yesterday’s morning helicopter crash in western Farah province have been identified.

The Afghan National Army (ANA) helicopter crashed into a mountain in Khak-i-Safid district of Farah province early Wednesday.

A copy of the list of victims of the incident received by Pajhwok Afghan News shows 12 security officials were among the dead.

The security officials who lost their lives included Gen. Niamatullah, deputy commander of the Afghan National Army’s Zafar Military Corps.

Others killed included pilots Arif and Sayed Abdul Haq and ANA officers 1st Lt. Munsifullah, 1st Lt. Sherin, 1st Lt. Niazullah, 1st Lt. Gulalai, Masum, Mobin, bodyguard of Jamila Amini, ANA soldier Ahmad Rashad, Raof, bodyguard of Farah provincial council head and.

Six government officials were also killed in the incident. They included Farid Bakhtawar, the provincial council head, Jamila Amini, the provincial council member, Ghulam Haidar Bomdi, former commissioner, Arif Khidmat, a customs official in Farah, Haji Jilani, a worker of Farah Hajj and Islamic Affairs Department and Aziz Rahman, head of the technical board.

The seven civilians killed in the helicopter crash included Haji Qadir, a moneychanger, Haji Mamor, Asif, Kudaidad, SalimBomdi, Haji Rahmatullah and Imam of Farah Military Corps.

Local officials in Farah on Thursday said the bodies of the victims were yet to be transferred from the incident area to the provincial capital despite the passage of 24 hours due to security threats.

Meanwhile, an ANA spokesman in Farah told Pajhwok Afghan News they were trying to shift the bodies to the provincial capital, but the area was fully under Taliban’s control and going there was risky.

He said the governor and military officials during a meeting with elders had decided to transfer the bodies with mediation of local elders.

mds/ma

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