At least 11 people have died after a US Hercules aircraft crashed at an airport in Afghanistan, the US military says.
The C-130 plane crashed at around midnight local time (19:30 GMT Thursday) at Jalalabad airport.
US Army Colonel Brian Tribus told AFP that six of those killed worked for the US military, while the others were civilian contractors. The C-130 is a military aircraft primarily used to carry troops and heavy cargo.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on Twitter that the group shot down the plane, but agencies reported there was no indication of any such attack.
The US military says it is now investigating the cause of the accident.
Close to 10,000 US troops are still stationed in Afghanistan after plans for a gradual withdrawal were changed earlier this year.
Meanwhile, explosions and gunfire have been reported as Afghan government forces try to extend their control over the northern city of Kunduz, which was seized by Taliban fighters this week.
Government forces are now said to control much of the city, but remnants of the Taliban have been fighting back.
But it seems battle for the city is far from over, with government forces based in the airport still meeting resistance from the Taliban nearby.
An Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman, Sediq Sediqqi, said that the government now controlled the city. “The clearance operation will take some time as Taliban remnants are firing from inside civilian houses and booby traps have been planted in places,” he said.
