Helicopter crash in Afghanistan kills 9 troops

Nine troops from the NATO-led force in Afghanistan have been killed in a helicopter crash. Officials say there was no enemy fire reported in the area when the aircraft went down.

They say two NATO personnel, an Afghan soldier and a US civilian were injured in the crash.

The deaths in the Zabul province bring the total number of foreign troops killed in Afghanistan so far this year to at least 529. This makes it the bloodiest year yet in the nine-year war.

Violence is at its worst across the country since the Taliban were ousted in 2001, with military and civilian casualties at record levels.

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