British Jet Crashes in Afghanistan

[tekisui]

Source: AFP

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — A British fighter jet crashed in Afghanistan on Monday, injuring two pilots and becoming the fourth Western aircraft to come down in the war-torn country in a week.

The crash and the unrelated killing of another British soldier in a bomb attack bringing to 17 the number killed so far this month, was likely to spark renewed political debate in London over Britain's role in the conflict.

Western military casualties have hit record levels in Afghanistan as foreign governments scramble extra troops to the war-torn nation hoping to ease an increasingly virulent Taliban insurgency ahead of elections on August 20.

Local government officials said Monday that separate attacks killed 12 civilians, while Kandahar airbase in southern Afghanistan reported its second aviation accident in two days.

Mohammad Aslam Yar, a spokesman for the base, said a fighter jet of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) crashed early Monday at the airfield, on the biggest military base in the south.

"There were two pilots who ejected and were taken to a military hospital inside the base for treatment. Apart from that there are no other casualties. No enemy fire was involved," Yar told AFP.

more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g7QS1DM2fxKS3Kodnlg7ki4D9AbQ