Three Killed as Taliban Destroy NATO Helicopter at Bagram

Two NATO Soldiers Also Wounded in Attack

Just hours after the official celebration commemorating the phony transfer of Bagram Prison to Afghan control, the Taliban opened fire on a NATO helicopter at the adjacent Bagram airfield, downing and destroying it, and killing three Afghans on board. Two NATO soldiers were also wounded.

NATO offered few details on the attack, saying that they came under fire from “munitions” and that they had yet to determine exactly what they were attacked with. The Taliban said they used rockets.

The CH-47 Chinook helicopter was apparently not destroyed immediately, but was set on fire by the attack, which eventually rendered the $35 million transport helicopter completely destroyed.

NATO declined to specify the types of injuries suffered by the wounded NATO soldiers, and also refused to say what sort of mission they were on. Some reports have characterized the Afghans killed as “intelligence officials.”

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.