No new weapons with Taliban in Afghanistan: NATO

Updated: 2011-08-08 16:54

(Xinhua)

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KABUL - NATO denied reports that Taliban outfit had obtained new weapons especially to target aircraft in the war-torn Afghanistan, spokesman of NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said on Monday.

"We are not seeing any specific new type of weapons on the battle field," Brigadier General Carsten Jacobson responded to a query at a press conference here.

He made the remarks two days after the crash of NATO's CH-47 Chinook helicopter in eastern Afghanistan's Wardak province on Saturday that left 38 people dead including 30 soldiers of the US Special Force, one local interpreter and seven Afghan commandos.

The deadly air incident for which Taliban claimed of responsibility has suggested that the outfit might have received anti-aircraft gun to target NATO's planes in Afghanistan.

"We are still investigating this incident so we have no picture of what was the cause for the incident," he said.  

According to local media, at least 17 NATO and Afghan army helicopters have crashed or made emergency landing since the beginning of this year in Afghanistan.

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