Helicopters in Helmand province crashed during take-off as a result of “technical problems”, the ministry said. The incident is being investigated.
Helicopters clashed when they evacuated wounded soldiers from the battlefield in the Nava region and were forced to land immediately, two local officials told the DPA.
Local media report that the helicopters were tasked with delivering additional forces to the area and taking the wounded soldiers away.
The Taliban have been attacking several parts of Helmand in the province, including the provincial capital, Lashkargah, for a week now, and there is no indication of progress in peace talks between the parties to the Afghan conflict.
35,000 people have fled the Helmand battlefield in recent days, but the UN estimates that 200 people have been killed or injured in the Taliban offensive.
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