Taliban release video of soldiers captured after emergency landing of helicopter

The Taliban militants group has released a video which purportedly shows a number of the Afghan National Army (ANA) officers taken hostage following the emergency landing of a helicopter in northern Faryab province, Khaama Press reported.

The helicopter transporting members of the Afghan National Army made an emergency landing on Tuesday in Pashtunkot district.

The video shows ANS soldiers being paraded with their faces covered in stains after they were captured, with initial parts of the video showing remnants of the helicopter in fire.

Afghan Natioanl Army (ANA) officials had earlier said the helicopter made an emergency landing due to bad weather condition.

Dawlat Waziri, spokesman for the Ministry of Defense (MoD), said two members of the Afghan National Army and a crew member of the helicopter lost their lives in the incident.

He said efforts have been put in place to rescue hostages who were on their way from northern Mazar-e-Sharif city to Faryab province when they were abducted following the emergency landing of the helicopter.

According to Waziri, the helicopter belonged to a private company which was contracted by the Ministry of Defense and the crew member who was killed in the incident was a foreign national.

He also added that two foreign nationals are among the 18 people who are currently in the custody of the Taliban militants and efforts are underway for their release.

This comes as Moldovan officials had earlier said that two pilots and an engineer belonging to Moldova were on board the plane when it made an emergency landing but there were no reports regarding their fate.

The Taliban militants claimed that the helicopter was shot down however they did not offer any demand for the release of the hostages in the video which was aired on Thursday.

Sources: MENA