Afghanistan: US Military Investigating Reports Of Taliban Shooting Down American Plane In Ghazni

Afghanistan Plane Crash: United States (US) military is investigating the reports a plane crash in Afghanistan's Ghazni province. The investigation started after reports surfaced of Taliban shooting down an American plane in the region. Earlier, it was reported that an local airline plane had crashed in Deh Yak district of Ghazni province.   

The US military said Monday that it is investigating reports of an airplane crash in Taliban-controlled territory in Afghanistan. US Army Major Beth Riordan - a spokeswoman for US Central Command - said that it remained unclear whose aircraft was involved in the crash. Riordan declined to immediately comment further.

However, pictures on social media purportedly from the crash site showed what could be the remains of a Bombardier E-11A aircraft, which the US military uses for electronic surveillance over Afghanistan.

Local Afghan officials had said earlier on Monday that a passenger place from Afghanistan's Ariana Airlines had crashed in the Taliban-held area of the eastern Ghazni province. However, Ariana Airlines said that none of its planes had crashed in Afghanistan.

Large swathes of rural areas in Ghazni province are controlled or under the influence of Taliban militants, making access difficult for officials. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said they were investigating the crash claims but were unable to comment further.

Crashes involving military flights, particularly helicopters, are common in Afghanistan where inclement weather and creaky aircraft are often pressed to their limits in the war-torn country -- and where insurgents have been known to target helicopters.