The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) has confirmed that the Taliban shot down a U.S. Blackhawk helicopter on December 17, 2013 in the Zabul province of Afghanistan.
When the Army aircraft went down the ISAF initially indicated “there was no enemy activity in the area at the time of the crash.”
But the Long War Journal confirms that the ISAF changed their assessment, and on January 9 said, “The families of the soldiers killed in the December 17 helicopter crash have been notified that ‘enemy action caused the crash and loss of life.'”
The Taliban has claimed responsibility from the moment the attack took place. After the helicopter went down they used their website, Voice of Jihad, to announce: “Mujahideen of Islamic Emirate have shot down the helicopter of foreign troops.”
“Five U.S. soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division and another from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment were killed in the Taliban attack.”
U.S. officials have not released the exact method the Taliban used to bring the helicopter down.
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