Turkish, Russian Nationals Abducted By Taliban

Afghan security facilities in Logar Province, in eastern Afghanistan

A spokesman for the Taliban says its fighters have captured everyone onboard a helicopter that went down in eastern Afghanistan.

The Afghan air charter company Khorasan said one of its helicopters made an emergency landing in Logar Province on April 21 due to bad weather.

Turkish and Russian officials say there were eight Turkish engineers and at least one Russian pilot onboard.

There was also at least one Afghan pilot.

However, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid issued an emailed statement, saying that the helicopter belonged to NATO and had 11 U.S. military personnel onboard.

He said all "were captured alive and were then transferred to the most secure region of the nation."

The statement claimed that militants shot down the chopper and set it alight.

The militants routinely make claims that later turn out to be false.

Based on reporting by AFP and Reuters