U.S. Helicopter Crashes In Afghanistan

Helmand Province has seen increasing attacks by the Taliban (AFP) July 3, 2006 -- The U.S. military says one crew member has been killed and another injured in the crash of a U.S. helicopter in southern Afghanistan.

A U.S. statement said the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter went down shortly after taking off from a military base at Kandahar on the evening of July 2. The cause of the crash is being investigated, but the U.S. statement said enemy fire has already been ruled out as a possible cause.

Earlier on July 2, U.S.-led forces bombed suspected Taliban insurgents following the deaths of two British soldiers and their Afghan interpreter in an attack on the night of July 1 in the southern Helmand Province.

Nine Taliban insurgents were reported killed in bombing raids by the U.S.-led coalition on July 2 in Helmand. Afghan offiicals said 12 Taliban were killed in fighting with Afghan troops in the same region on July 1.

The U.S. military also said 20 insurgents were killed on July 2 after they ambushed U.S.-led forces. Two coalition personnel were wounded in the clash in the Sangin district of Helmand Province.

In a separate incident today, a bomb went off at a university in the western city of Herat, wounding several female university students.

(AP, Reuters)