Soldiers Injured; Seven Helicopters Downed This Year

The US military now reports it was enemy fire that brought down two CH-47 Chinook helicopters in separate incidents in Afghanistan Sunday. Five US and one Afghan soldier were injured in the two downings.

Both helicopters had been involved in combat ops against "enemy forces," according to the statement released to the BBC. The Chinook (file photo of type, above) carrying the five US soldiers made a hard landing after the incident north of Kandahar, while the Afghan soldier was in a second Chinook that came under fire in Uruzgan province.

None of the injuries are serious, according to the statement.

The incidents were the sixth and seventh helicopters downed in Afghanistan this year, either by hostile fire or in accidents. Most recently, a Chinook was shot down by militants in the eastern Kunar province. Sixteen military personnel died in the ensuing crash.

A man claiming to speak for the ousted Taliban said Sunday its supporters had shot down the helicopter in Kandahar.

FMI: www.centcom.mil