U.S. Helicopters Make Emergency Landings (Afghanistan)

KABUL, Afghanistan - Two U.S. helicopters made emergency landings during combat operations in Afghanistan on Sunday, injuring five American troops and an Afghan soldier, the U.S. military said.

The two Chinooks made emergency landings in separate areas in southern Afghanistan, the military said.

Five U.S. soldiers were injured in a landing north of Kandahar that seriously damaged the helicopter, the military said. A purported Taliban spokesman claimed insurgents shot down the craft. The injured soldiers were listed in stable condition at a military medical facilty, the military said.

A purported Taliban spokesman, Qari Mohammed Yousaf, claimed the Taliban shot down the helicopter north of Kandahar with a rocket, but also said that all aboard were killed. Yousaf often calls news organizations to claim responsibility for attacks, but the information is frequently exaggerated or untrue. His exact tie to the Taliban leadership is not clear.