Taliban claim responsibility for downing US military helicopter, two service member killed

Two US service members got killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan on Wednesday.

The agencies are investigating the cause of the mishap. However, the preliminary reports do not indicate it was caused by enemy fire.

Taliban has claimed responsibility for shooting down the helicopter in Logar province south of the capital Kabul.

Zabihullah Mujahid Spokesman of Taliban said in a tweet that United States helicopter shot down and wholly destroyed while trying to raid Mujahideen position in Pangram area of Sarah, Logar.

Mujahid said that the Americans wanted to raid a mujahideen base, but their helicopter was shot down and caught fire, and all on board were killed.

The crash happened a day after the Taliban swapped two western hostages for three commanders held by the government of Afganistan, raising hopes of a thaw in relations between coalition forces and armed groups.

Estimated 13000 US troops stay in Afghanistan, 18 years after Washington invaded the country in wake attacks of September 2001.

This year more than 2500 Afghan civilians have been killed in the fighting so far according to the United Nations.