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Nato plane crashes in Afghanistan Nato plane crashes in Afghanistan
(20 minutes later)
A Nato aircraft has crashed in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar, a Nato spokesman has said. An aircraft supporting Nato-led operations against the Taleban has crashed in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar, a Nato spokesman has said.
It was not immediately clear whether there were any casualties.It was not immediately clear whether there were any casualties.
The crash was not the result of enemy fire and the plane which was supporting a Nato mission in the area was not a fighter jet, Maj Scott Lundy said. There was no indication of an enemy attack on the plane, which was not a fighter jet, Maj Scott Lundy said.
The crash came as Afghan and Nato troops began a major anti-Taleban drive in the Panjwayi district of Kandahar which has seen months of fighting.
Afghanistan is experiencing its bloodiest period since the fall of the Taleban in 2001. Much of the fighting has been concentrated in the south.
The plane came down about 20 km (12 miles) west of the city of Kandahar, Maj Lundy of the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) said.
It was "supporting a Nato mission. It went off the radar and crashed in an open area in Kandahar."
Nato forces are at the scene but there is no word on how many people were on board. A large Canadian contingent is based in Kandahar province.Nato forces are at the scene but there is no word on how many people were on board. A large Canadian contingent is based in Kandahar province.
A local tribal elder told the Associated Press news agency by phone that the wreckage of the plane was burning in an open field.
"I can see three or four helicopters in the sky, and coalition forces are also arriving in the area," he said.
On Thursday, a Dutch F-16 fighter pilot was killed after his plane crashed in the southern province of Ghazni.
Officials said the crash was believed to be an accident.