A military aircraft used by Nato-led forces crashed shortly after take-off from a major base in southern Afghanistan today, alliance officials said, the second crash at the base in as many days.
First thought to have been a helicopter, a spokeswoman for the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) in Afghanistan later said the crash involved a fixed-wing aircraft with a small number of crew.
"The incident will be investigated, however, insurgent activity has been ruled out," Isaf said in a statement.
The Isaf spokeswoman said the crew ejected safely but had suffered some injuries. "Those injuries are being treated," the spokeswoman said.
Few other details were immediately available about the crash at the Kandahar Air Field, the alliance's main military base in southern Kandahar province, a Taliban stronghold.
The aircraft was on fire after the crash and Afghan forces were closing off roads leading to the sprawling base, just south of Kandahar City, officials said. The Isaf spokeswoman said some people were being evacuated from the area for their own safety.
Traffic from airfields in the south has increased dramatically since thousands of US Marines and British soldiers launched major operations against the Taliban in neighbouring Helmand province earlier this month.
Yesterday, sixteen people were killed and five wounded when a Soviet-made Mi-8 civilian transport helicopter crashed after take-off from the Kandahar base.
And on Saturday, a US F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet crashed in eastern Afghanistan, killing both crew members, a rare crash by a supersonic jet used to strike ground targets and provide close air support for ground troops.
Last week, six Ukrainian crew members died aboard a Soviet-built Mi-26 transport helicopter which crashed in Helmand. Moldovan authorities said that helicopter was shot down while ferrying supplies to a remote British base.
US Marines and British soldiers launched major offensives in Helmand in early July, the first operations under US president Barack Obama's new regional strategy to defeat the Taliban and stabilise Afghanistan.
July has since become the bloodiest month for foreign troops of the 8-year-old war, prompting debate at home over whether troops are being adequately supplied, how long they should stay there, or whether they should be in Afghanistan at all.
US commanders in turn have warned that a difficult summer of fighting lies ahead and that a spike in casualties must be expected as soldiers move out of bases in search of Taliban fighters in their southern heartland.
Reuters