Southern Afghanistan on Monday

KABUL, July 20 (Reuters) - A military aircraft used by NATO-led forces crashed shortly after take-off from a major base in southern Afghanistan on Monday, 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 U.S. Marines and British soldiers launched major operations against the Taliban in neighbouring Helmand province earlier this month.


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