Russian military aircraft crashes, 8 killed (UPDATED)

CHARIKAR): An M-27, a Russian military aircraft, crashed at midnight Tuesday in the Seya Gird district of central Parwan province, officials said.

The crash occurred in the Qandqistan area, governor Abdul Baser Salangi told Pajhwok Afghan News. He said the M-27 was an ISAF logistics aircraft en route to Bagram airfield.

He said the aircraft had been completely destroyed and that eight passengers had been killed.

ISAF said in a statement that the M-27 had been contracted to ISAF by a private company and was transporting logistics supplies to international forces. The statement did not elaborate on casualties.

District chief Abdul Alim Mujadedi said the aircraft caught fire at 12:00 am before it crashed. Police have begun an investigation to determine the cause of the incident. 

Zabiullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Taliban, claimed the Taliban had shot down an ISAF Black Hawk helicopter and that all the soldiers onboard were killed.

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