Afghan officials say a military helicopter has crashed in the southern part of the country, killing at least 17 people.
The helicopter crashed Thursday in Zabul province, according to local officials, who say the cause of the crash is under investigation.
Some Afghan media reported the helicopter was shot down. This could not be immediately confirmed.
The crash came hours after a suicide truck bomb south of Kabul killed at least six people, in what is the Taliban’s first major attack since the death of its longtime leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, was confirmed.
At least three police and three civilians were killed in the massive blast early Thursday in Puli Alam, the capital of Logar province, according to local government officials. Dozens were also said to be wounded.
The Taliban released a statement claiming responsibility for the attack.
Divisions within the insurgent group have intensified following last week’s revelation that its founder, Mullah Omar, died more than two years ago. His death has long been rumored, but until now had not been confirmed by both Afghan authorities and the Taliban.
Some Taliban members have objected to the selection of Mullah Akhtar Mansoor as the new Taliban chief, saying many top insurgent commanders, including those fighting in Afghanistan, were not properly consulted on the decision.
The disunity is raising doubts about the future of peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government. The insurgent group abruptly canceled last Friday’s second round of peace talks with Afghanistan after the news of Mullah Omar’s death.
Meanwhile, the violence is continuing, with civilian casualties expected to match or exceed the country’s deadliest year on record, according to a United Nations report published this week.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in a report Wednesday it documented 4,921 civilian casualties in the first half of 2015. The 1,592 deaths and 3,329 injuries represent a one percent increase in total civilian casualties compared to the same period in 2014, the deadliest year for Afghan civilians on record.
The violence comes as the United States prepares to pull out its troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2016. The U.S.-led NATO forces already declared an end to their combat mission in December and have gradually been shifting responsibility for security operations to Afghan forces.
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