New Details Emerging in Downing of Afghan Special Forces Hel
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Initial reports were that the Chinook helicopter carrying 30 member of U.S. Special Forces crashed while attempting a rescue of Army Rangers and other soldiers who were engaged with insurgents on the ground. New information seems to suggest that the mission was one of pursuit and not at all a rescue and most seem to agree that the helicopter was brought down by a rocket-propelled grenade. Ultimately, this information changes nothing about the tragic outcome for the U.S. soldiers, their families and the 8 Afghan soldiers who were also killed when the helicopter went down.
Although most sources seem to agree that it was an RPG that brought down the helicopter, there is some speculation about where the shot may have come from in relation to the aircraft. Experts surmise that an RPG would have to be fired from within about 100 yards of that type of helicopter, and at a very precise angle, in order for it to achieve a mortal strike. It has been suggested that, given the rocky outcroppings in the area where the downing occurred, it's possible that the RPG was actually shot from above the helicopter.
The original ground mission was a night attack that was geared toward taking out a known Taliban leader who had been organizing insurgent raids in the area. When the initial assault force encountered insurgent resistance on the ground, a firefight ensued. Shortly after, a segment of the insurgents fled and that's when the Special Forces Unit, which had been on standby, was called in to pursue the fleeing insurgents. It was during the flight to the battle site that the helicopter was shot down. It's known to U.S. troops that when insurgent groups flee a battle scene, they will often leave behind junior-level fighters who will snipe and attack pursuing troops as they move through.
One troubling aspect of the tragedy is some quiet speculation about whether or not something other than an RPG brought down the helicopter. During the 1980s, Afghan soldiers had access to more powerful and long-range Stinger missile launchers, which were indirectly supplied to them by the U.S. military. The Stinger missiles ultimately proved one of the key reasons why the Mujahadeen was able to repel Soviet forces at that time. It would certainly seem plausible that Taliban and insurgent fighters might be able to gain access to weapons technology that is nearly 40 years old, but at this point it is not believed that they have done so.
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