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KABUL - Afghanistan's Taleban claimed responsibility last night for shooting down a Nato helicopter and said that 35 soldiers were killed, many more than the seven dead announced by the military alliance.
Taleban spokesman Qari Mohammad Yousuf said the death toll came from secret sources operating in Helmand. He said the Chinook was flying low ahead of a land vehicle convoy when it was shot down.
Nato said seven soldiers, five of whom were Americans, were killed when a Chinook crashed. Alliance officials said it was premature to comment on how the helicopter went down, and would not say if the helicopter was directly involved in a battle with the Taleban.
- REUTERS
