U.S. official: Killed forces were reinforcing troops in Afghanistan
By
David Ariosto and
Barbara Starr, CNN
August 6, 2011 -- Updated 2119 GMT (0519 HKT)
SEALs killed were on rescue mission
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Helicopter was on a reinforcement mission, U.S. military official says
- 22 of the dead are U.S. Navy SEALs, U.S. officials say
- A majority belonged to the same unit that killed Osama bin Laden
- 7 Afghans died in the incident, President Karzai says
Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- In the single deadliest loss for U.S. troops since the Afghan war began in late 2001, 30 service members died early Saturday when a helicopter carrying them went down while they were reinforcing other troops, officials said.
Insurgents are believed to have shot down the CH-47 Chinook, a U.S. military official said. The Taliban claimed militants downed the helicopter with a rocket-propelled grenade.
Among the 25 U.S. special forces killed in Wardak province were 22 Navy SEALS, considered to be the "best of the best." Seven Afghan troops also died.
The majority of the Navy SEALs who died belonged to the same covert unit that conducted the raid that killed Osama bin Laden in May, though they were not the same men, the military official said.
The troops died during a "quick reaction" mission to assist military personnel pinned down by insurgents in a fierce firefight, a U.S. military official told CNN.
DEADLIEST DAYS IN AFGHANISTAN
Saturday's NATO crash killed more than two dozen U.S. troops, making it the war's deadliest single incident for Americans, according to a CNN count. Here are previous large-scale losses.
U.S.
April 6, 2005 -- 15 soldiers, 3 civilian contractors killed in crash of helicopter traveling in severe weather.
June 27, 2005 -- 8 soldiers, 8 sailors killed when MH-47 helicopter downed by rocket-propelled grenade.
May 6, 2006 -- 10 soldiers killed in helicopter crash.
Oct. 26, 2009 -- 3 DEA agents, 7 troops killed as they returned from raid.
BRITAIN
Sept. 2, 2006 -- 14 troops killed in NATO plane crash believed to be due to technical problem.
FRANCE
Aug. 18, 2008 -- 10 soldiers killed in insurgent attack on patrol.
SPAIN
Aug. 16, 2005 -- 17 troops die in helicopter crash. Accident most likely cause, but attack not ruled out.
"It's a big loss" for the SEALs, one of the officials said. "The numbers are high."
Reflecting on the sobering loss, President Barack Obama said the deaths were "a reminder of the extraordinary sacrifices made by the men and women of our military and their families, including all who have served in Afghanistan."
NATO's International Security Assistance Force said 30 U.S. service members in ISAF, one civilian interpreter and seven Afghan commandos were killed. The nationality of the interpreter was not known late Saturday.
The U.S. deaths came as NATO is drawing down and handing over security control to national forces. Some 10,000 U.S. troops are scheduled to depart by year's end, with all U.S. military personnel out of Afghanistan by the end of 2014.
However, no one is talking about withdrawing special forces and they are expected to stay on the job.
"We are determined to stay the course, especially in this crucial period when Afghan and international security forces are working closer than ever to make transition a success," NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said.
Special forces have been conducting almost daily night-time raids against insurgent targets in rugged areas like Wardak.
The Chinook went down as an Afghan and coalition force operation targeted a bomb-making cell leader in Wardak, leading to the detention of numerous insurgents Friday, according to ISAF. It is not clear if the helicopter incident and the raid were connected.