At least 17 people have been killed in a military helicopter crash in southern Afghanistan.
A police official at the site of the crash in Zabul Province said 12 Afghan soldiers and five crew members died in the August 6 incident, which happened in the Shinkay district.
It was reportedly the worst such accident suffered by Afghanistan's military forces since the U.S.-led NATO combat mission ended in December.
A police official told AFP the crash was caused by a technical failure.
An army commander said an official delegation was sent to the site to investigate the crash.
The Afghan Air Force has more than 80 Mi-17 transport helicopters, the same type involved in the latest crash.
International Crisis Group senior analyst Graeme Smith told AFP that "maintenance is a serious issue for the Afghan Air Force and it is hurting their ability to provide air support to ground forces."