14 Americans Killed in Chopper Crashes in Afghanistan

At least 14 American, 11 of them civilians, were killed when three coalition helicopters crashed in two unrelated incidents on Monday, reported NATO forces in Afghanistan.

According to a NATO statement, one helicopter crashed in Western Afghanistan following an air raid on a militant hideout by US and Afghan troops which killed 12 suspected enemy fighters.

Seven US troops and three US civilians were killed in the crash; while 14 Afghan troops, 11 American troops and one US civilian were injured in the crash, said the statement.

Though cause of the crash is yet not known, NATO officials said that they don’t believe that the helicopter was shot down by terrorists.

In another incident in southern Afghanistan earlier in the day, two choppers collided and crashed leaving four US service members dead.

A NATO statement said that two other service members were wounded in the incident. NATO said that officials are continuing to prove the cause leading to the collision, but they have determined that hostile fire was not involved.

This past year has been the deadliest for foreign troops in Afghanistan since the U.S.-led invasion in late 2001 to fight the Taliban and al-Qaida militants.