Military Official Call It "One Of The Deadliest Days In The War"

Two separate incidents involving NATO helicopters have killed 14 Americans in Afghanistan in a single day. Few details are available about either of the incidents.

Four died in a mid-air collision in the southern part of the country, and two other were injured. Hostile fire has been ruled out in that incident.

10 more Americans, seven soldiers and three civilian contractors, died when their helicopter crashed during an anti-drug raid in the western portion of the country. The Taliban has claimed to have shot down the aircraft, but U.S. Officials would not confirm that was the case, and said it was unlikely that the crash resulted from enemy fire. Multiple media sources, including The Associated Press and The Times of London, report that the helo was carrying elite forces involved in a pre-dawn raid against a compound known to be associated with the multi-billion dollar Afghan opium trade. 26 others, including 12 Americans and 14 Afghans were also injured.

A military news release indicated the firefight left more than a dozen enemy fighters dead.

The Associated Press reported that U.S. Military officials said it was one of the deadliest days of the war for Americans.

FMI: www.nato.int/isaf