Afghan ministry says helicopter crash kills 2 crewmembers during patrol in country’s north

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The Ministry of Defense says an Afghan military helicopter crashed in the country’s north after hitting a power line base, killing at least two crewmembers. The MD-530 chopper was patrolling Sunday in the area after it took off from northern Balkh province and crashed in the Kholim district of Samangan province. Officials said the chopper hit the base of a high voltage power line before crashing. It’s unclear how many helicopters, including U.S. choppers, are in the hands of the Taliban-run government. As the U.S.-backed Afghan government collapsed in mid-August 2021, dozens of Afghan pilots fled to Central Asian countries, including Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.