The Pentagon has denied claims by the Taliban that up to 50 United States troops have been killed in Afghanistan. The Taliban said that it shot down a US helicopter as it tried to rescue another aircraft that had crashed in the south of the country.
While the Pentagon confirmed that four members of its special forces were rescued after their helicopter crash-landed last night, it said that it was bad weather, not enemy fire, that had brought it down. The Pentagon said that four crew members were injured in the incident.
The crews of both helicopters were safely evacuated, according to the Pentagon, and F-14 Tomcats from the USS Theodore Roosevelt subsequently destroyed the damaged helicopter. The Pentagon has not stated in which area of Afghanistan the helicopter crash landed.
Meanwhile, there are reports from Afghanistan that the Taliban has captured and hanged three supporters of an envoy of the former king.
It is believed Hamid Karzai was on a mission to encourage Pashtun tribes to turn against the Taliban. It is not known whether or not he was captured along with his supporters.
A group opposed to the Taliban regime in Afghanistan has claimed that it has taken in district in the north of the country after 800 Taliban fighters changed sides.
A spokesman for Commander Atta Mohammad said that the Aq-Kupruk district, 45 miles south of the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, was taken after a three-hour battle this morning.
A Taliban spokesperson confirmed that there had been fighting in the region. Meanwhile, the Northern Alliance said that it was preparing its troops for an offensive, which may be upon Kabul.
United States aircraft have once again launched bombing raids near the Afghan capital Kabul, dropping at least two bombs near the airport north of the city.
