LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan, July 27 (Xinhua) -- Five Afghan army personnel were wounded after a military helicopter made a crash landing in southern Helmand province on Monday, the country's Defense Ministry confirmed.
"A Black Hawk helicopter of Afghan Air Force crashed during landing in Kajaki district, Helmand province roughly at 8:40 a.m. Monday. As a result, five crew of the chopper slightly wounded," the ministry said in a statement.
The statement said the crash was caused by technical failure, and an investigation has been launched into the incident, the statement added.
Local villagers claimed that the chopper was struck by a Taliban militants' weapon. A Taliban militants' spokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmadi also claimed the helicopter was downed by the militants' fighters.
Helmand province, notorious for poppy growing, is a known Taliban stronghold.
Seven Afghan air force helicopters have crashed so far this year. On Feb. 17, an Afghan air force pilot was wounded after helicopter MD-530 crashed in western Nimroz province. Enditem
