Family Life

10.26.09 | FL News Team

At least 14 Americans have been killed in Afghanistan today in crashes involving military helicopters. Officials with the International Security Assistance Force say four American service members were killed and two others were injured in a midair collision between a pair of helicopters operated by NATO-led troops in southern Afghanistan. Another chopper went down in western Afghanistan after an operation against insurgents. Seven members of the U.S. military and three American civilians were killed. NATO officials say enemy fire did not cause either crash. Both incidents are under investigation.

The deadly helicopter crashes happened as hundreds of Afghan civilians gathered in Kabul to stage a second day of demonstrations to protest the presence of foreign troops. Afghan police fired into the air to disburse the crowd as protestors shouted anti-American slogans, threw stones and prepared to burn an effigy of President Obama. At least one officer was injured when protestors clashed with police. Witnesses claim up to 30 people have been arrested. The demonstrations are a response to reports that NATO forces burned a copy of the Koran during a raid in eastern Afghanistan last week. NATO officials have denied any such incident occurred. Tensions are especially high ahead of a November 7th runoff in Afghanistan's disputed presidential election.