Airstrike Kills Afghan Militants Who Downed U.S. Military Helicopter

Posted August 10th, 2011 at 9:55 am (UTC-5)
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The commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan says an airstrike has killed the militants responsible for shooting down a U.S. helicopter last week, killing 30 U.S. servicemen and eight Afghans.

General John Allen spoke to reporters at the Pentagon Wednesday.

In a statement, the NATO-led international force in Afghanistan said coalition forces conducted a precision airstrike in Chak district, Wardak province, on Tuesday.

The statement said the strike took place after an “exhaustive manhunt” for the two men identified as the planners of the attack on the helicopter. It said the strike killed Taliban leader Mullah Mohibullah and the man who fired the fatal shot at the helicopter.

It says several other Taliban associates were also killed in the airstrike.

The downing of the helicopter was the worst loss of life for the U.S. in a single incident during the decade-long war in Afghanistan. Seven Afghan troops and an interpreter were killed in addition to the 30 U.S. servicemen.