NATO says a helicopter crash in southern Afghanistan has killed seven American service members and four Afghans.

The coalition said three Afghan soldiers and one Afghan civilian interpreter died when the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter went down on Thursday.

Afghan authorities say the helicopter crashed in the Shah Wali Kot district of Kandahar province. The cause is under investigation, and NATO gave no other details.

The Taliban claimed to have shot down the helicopter. The insurgent group has made similar claims in the past.

In March, a NATO helicopter crashed into a house near the Afghan capital, killing 12 Turkish soldiers on board and at least four people on the ground.

And in August of last year, a Chinook helicopter was apparently shot down by militants in Wardak province, killing 30 American service members, mostly elite Navy SEALs, as well as eight Afghans.