Originally posted by the Voice of America.
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Afghan Army Helicopter Crash, Suicide Blast Kill Over 30

by Ayaz Gul

   ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN --

   An Afghan military helicopter carrying senior officers crashed in the
   western province of Farah early Wednesday, killing at least 25 people
   on board.

   A provincial government spokesman told VOA the aircraft went down
   shortly after taking off from the mountainous Anar Dara district for
   neighboring Herat province next to the Iranian border.

   Nasir Mehri confirmed the deputy corps commander for western
   Afghanistan and the head of Farah's provincial council were among those
   killed. He blamed bad weather for causing the crash.

   The Taliban said its fighters shot down the Afghan National Army (ANA)
   helicopter, though it was not possible to independently verify the
   insurgent claims.

   Separately, Afghan authorities confirmed a early morning suicide blast
   at the entrance of the country's largest prison in Kabul killed at
   least six people and wounded many more.

   There were no immediate claims of responsibility for the attack.

   The bomber targeted a bus for female staff of the Pul-e-Charkhi jail,
   located in an eastern part of the national capital, said Kabul police
   spokesman Basir Mujahid. He said police personnel and civilians were
   among the victims.