Taliban helicopter attack kills 31 US special forces troops

[Bangyai]

A Nato Chinook helicopter has been shot down by Taliban insurgents, killing 31 American special forces soldiers in one of the worst single incidents in Afghanistan.

Link to this video

By Ben Farmer, in Kabul
10:46AM BST 06 Aug 2011

The aircraft was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade and crashed in the Tangi valley of Wardak province, west of the Afghan capital, Kabul.

A condolence statement from Hamid Karzai said 31 Americans had been killed and seven Afghans, making it the bloodiest incident for the United States and the coalition in the decade-long campaign.

Coalition head quarters in Kabul confirmed a helicopter had crashed in eastern Afghanistan, but a spokesman would not comment on casualty figures.

Sources said the release of more information was being delayed by the difficulties in informing the next of kin.

The spokesman said: “A [coalition] helicopter crashed in eastern Afghanistan today, and recovery operations are under way.

“[The coalition] is still in the process of assessing the circumstances to determine the facts of the incident, reporting indicates there was enemy activity in the area.
“Additional details will be released as appropriate.”
Mr Karzai’s statement said: “The president of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai expressed condolences over a Nato helicopter crash and the deaths of 31 members of US special forces."
Wardak is viewed as a strategically critical province guarding the western “gate” to Kabul and has seen heavy Taliban infiltration for several years.
Local reports said the helicopter had been taking part in a night raid targeting insurgent commanders. At least eight insurgents were killed.
A spokesman for the Taliban, Zabiullah Mujaheed, told the New York Times insurgents shot down the helicopter around 11pm on Friday local time and that eight militants were killed in the fight that continued after the helicopter fell.
“The fresh reports from the site tells us that there are still Americans doing search operations for the bodies and pieces of the helicopter are on the ground,” Mr. Mujaheed said.

Taliban helicopter attack kills 31 US special forces troops - Telegraph

[The Bold Rodney]

^^^

It's a fact they're bound to get lucky once in a while...I hope the Yanks give it back to them a thousand times over!

R.I.P.

[Latindancer]

It's been a bad month for helicopters. Three down in Thailand, one in Indonesia, two domestic ones in Oz.

[The Ghost Of The Moog]

It's been a bad month for helicopters. Three down in Thailand, one in Indonesia, two domestic ones in Oz.

And its been a sad day for America, this tragedy coming so soon after the S&P ratings downgrade.

[blue]

I can remember when the USSR were fighting the Muslims in Afghanistan'
In those days they were called the Mujahadeen
The Soviet Union was doing well,
then the British and Americans started arming the muzzies with Stinger surface to air misiles,
I wonder how many hundreds thousands of young Russians lost thier lives due to
that ??

Not that i;m on the muzzies side , I hate them

[The Ghost Of The Moog]

Not that i;m on the muzzies side , I hate them

How about the 7 Afghans killed on this copter?

[The Bold Rodney]

How about the 7 Afghans killed on this copter?

They were defending THEIR country against bearded, goat shagging, shia shite religeous perverts!

[Neo]

Americans started arming the muzzies with Stinger surface to air misiles,

I remember that, the Americans took some persuading to dish out the worlds latest AAM.. Pakistan being the ever friendly third party, helped ship the Stingers to the terrorists, the Americans only figured out why they had shipped so many of their precious missiles and still hadn't taken down a Hind when they saw them in pride of place in a Pakistani army parade.


Anyway...

RPG7 round. $50
Chinook helicopter. $20,000,000
History repeating itself. Priceless.

[harrybarracuda]

I can remember when the USSR were fighting the Muslims in Afghanistan'
In those days they were called the Mujahadeen
The Soviet Union was doing well,
then the British and Americans started arming the muzzies with Stinger surface to air misiles,
I wonder how many hundreds thousands of young Russians lost thier lives due to
that ??

Not that i;m on the muzzies side , I hate them

Ah yes, that was when they were giving lots of wonderful things to their new mate.

What was his name again? Osama somebody?

[sabang]

If it was an RPG as they're saying, thats pretty close to a freak shot. If they've got SAM's now though, big problem for helicopters. Oh well, RIP, whatever nationality.

[harrybarracuda]

Oh the irony....

AP Sources: Crash Kills Members of SEAL Team 6
By KIMBERLY DOZIER and LOLITA C. BALDOR Associated Press
WASHINGTON August 6, 2011 (AP)

The Associated Press has learned that more than 20 Navy SEALs from the unit that killed Osama bin Laden were among those lost in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan.
The operators from SEAL Team Six were flown by a crew of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. That's according to one current and one former U.S. official. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because families are still being notified of the loss of their loved ones.


One source says the team was thought to include 22 SEALs, three Air Force air controllers, seven Afghan Army troops, a dog and his handler, and a civilian interpreter, plus the helicopter crew.
The sources thought this was the largest single loss of life ever for SEAL Team Six, known as the Naval Special Warfare Development Group.

[larvidchr]

Whatever you might think about the fight against Taliban, those guys where there on behalf of the coalition, all brave young Men, many of them belonging to the relatively few of the most skilled in that particular field we have, and probably doing what they also themselves thought was the right thing for the world and the normal Afghan people.

A big loss - RIP.

[harrybarracuda]

Whatever you might think about the fight against Taliban, those guys where there on behalf of the coalition, all brave young Men, many of them belonging to the relatively few of the most skilled in that particular field we have, and probably doing what they also themselves thought was the right thing for the world and the normal Afghan people.

A big loss - RIP.

It is indeed a great shame. And when eventually the world tires of these needless deaths, they will pull out, and the Taliban will return.

Which all makes it seem so pointless.

[dirk diggler]

31 special forces? What was that saying about keeping your eggs in the same basket?

[harrybarracuda]

31 special forces? What was that saying about keeping your eggs in the same basket?

Perhaps that isn't all their eggs.

[amazon777]

31 special forces? What was that saying about keeping your eggs in the same basket?

Read the post from Harry above more careful!

"more than 20 Navy SEALs from the unit that killed Osama bin Laden"

If that wasn't the complete unit, expect some more "sad" news shortly...

[Dick]

Yeah it was a whole squad of ST6 operators

[Bung]

A nice propaganda coup for the Taliban.

[amazon777]

It may (or may not) have been the Taliban.
But if so, they had somebody telling them when and were to hit...

[xnazi]

typical western interference continueing....create a need (war) fill it (arms)
get licked by a much lesser foe (withdraw / fast)...blame everyother fucker.

vietnam was a classic tale....commies creeping down through S.E.A.
biggest arse kicking they ever got.....

[superman]

It may (or may not) have been the Taliban. But if so, they had somebody telling them when and were to hit...

If it was the Taliban then it was very easy for them to do. As soon as the US attacked, the Taliban would know that those troops would need to be air-lifted out. So instead of confronting the US soldiers the Taliban will look for the clearing that will be used, it will not be too far away. They then wait down wind in consealed positions, as close to the LZ as possible. The Chinooks will need to use the wind to assist lift. The helicopter was possibley carrying a full load of combat laden soldiers, so lift off will have been low level and slow. It looks to me, if it was shot down, that someone needs to evaluate their departure plans. The Taliban certainly did.

[kingwilly]

Damn. RIP.

[socal]

I can remember when the USSR were fighting the Muslims in Afghanistan'
In those days they were called the Mujahadeen
The Soviet Union was doing well,
then the British and Americans started arming the muzzies with Stinger surface to air misiles,
I wonder how many hundreds thousands of young Russians lost thier lives due to
that ??

Not that i;m on the muzzies side , I hate them

It was the Russian that armed the Vietnamese so it was payback.

RIP

[socal]

A nice propaganda coup for the Taliban.

Yep, all the muslim apologists here are probably happy.

[raycarey]

NATO needs to get out of afghanistan.

now.