Plane crashes in Taliban-controlled area of central Afghanistan – media

A plane crashed on Monday in Afghanistan’s central Ghazni Province, an area controlled by the Taliban, local media report, citing officials. There were no immediate reports on casualties, though later some reports estimated tolls.

UPDATE: ‘No indication of enemy fire’: US forces in Afghanistan confirm loss of recon plane

The jet went down in a Taliban-controlled area in the central Ghazni Province, Ariana News said, citing the Ministry of Interior Affairs. A source told local TOLOnews that “special forces” would be dispatched to the site.

Footage, said to be from the site of the crash, shows a large plume of smoke rising.

Initially, there were conflicting reports about the aircraft's owner and about the type of plane. Citing sources, media have described it as a jet belonging to the US military. Earlier reports had claimed it was a passenger plane of the national carrier, Ariana Afghan Airlines.

However, that airline’s acting CEO, Mirwais Mirzakwal, told Reuters that the crashed aircraft did not belong to his company.

The regional governor’s office, meanwhile, told 1TV news channel that the aircraft belonged to a “foreign airline.” Later, the US military confirmed that it was investigating the reports.

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