British troops among five killed in Kabul chopper crash

Two Britons were among five NATO troops killed in a helicopter crash in Kabul, a second blow for British forces Sunday after a Taliban suicide bomber targeted their convoy in the capital.  

The incidents came just two weeks after the resurgent militant group overran the key northern city of Kunduz, their biggest military victory in 14 years of war. 

The helicopter crashed while landing at the NATO headquarters in Kabul, the military coalition said, ruling out any insurgent activity behind the incident.

The defence ministry in London confirmed that two British Royal Air Force personnel were among those killed, adding that an investigation had been launched into the crash.

The latest deaths bring to 456 the total number of British forces, personnel and defence ministry civilians killed serving in Afghanistan since it joined the US-led invasion of the country in 2001.

The crash came just hours after a Taliban suicide car bomber struck a British forces convoy in central Kabul, wounding at least three civilians including a child, Afghan officials said. No British casualties were reported. 

The British defence ministry confirmed their convoy came under attack and said the explosion was caused by an improvised explosive device.

The rush-hour bombing caused a powerful explosion in the capital, sending plumes of smoke into the sky and littering the area with charred pieces of twisted metal.