US military plane crashes in Afghanistan as official says 'no indication so far' that plane was downed by Taliban

An aircraft that crashed in Afghanistan was a small US military plane, US officials have said.

The officials, speaking to Reuters on the condition of anonymity, said there were no indications so far that the plane had been brought down by enemy activity.

One of the officials said there were believed to be less than 10 people on the plane. The Pentagon declined to comment.

The Taliban said it had shot down a US military plane in the central Afghan province of Ghazni on Monday, killing all on board.

A senior defence official investigating the crash told Reuters earlier on Monday that no senior US officials were killed.

Arif Noori, spokesman for the provincial governor, said the plane went down at about 1.10pm local time (8.40am UK time).

The jet, first said to be a Boeing craft, hit the ground in the Deh Yak district.

It was first believed to be an Ariana Airlines commercial flight - though the carrier has since denied this.

The Taliban, which calls itself the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, released a statement claiming it was a US military aircraft which was "brought down" in the area.

The group, which often exaggerates casualties, said: "The plane, which was on an intelligence mission, was brought down in Sado Khel area of Deh Yak district of Ghazni province."

It earlier said the jet crashed and had added: "The aircraft was destroyed in the crash and all crew along with multiple senior CIA officials killed."

Images said to be of the crashed plane show an aircraft bearing US Air Force markings, which appear similar to other E-11A surveillance aircraft.

The US military has previously declined to comment on the Taliban's statement.

US Army Major Beth Riordan, a spokeswoman for US Central Command, previously acknowledged American military officials were investigating reports of a crash in Afghanistan. She said it remained unclear whose aircraft was involved in the crash.

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