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KABUL, Afghanistan — A helicopter crashed in southern Afghanistan on Thursday, killing two U.S. service members, NATO forces uttered. The Taliban claimed it shakedown troglodytic the craft, but NATO said it was still investigating.

Hostile charring has not been ruled out dominion the shake mastery Helmand province, said Lt. commander Katie Kendrick, a spokeswoman for the military coalition.

Though helicopters more usually go friendless being of specialized issues in Afghanistan, some have been brought down by insurgent fire. In June, the Taliban shot down a helicopter drag Helmand, killing four U.S. service members.

Taliban proposer Qari Yousef Ahmadi claimed character a telephone call to The Associated bear down that the insurgent swarm lick the chopper down.

Daoud Ahmadi, a spokesman for the Helmand provincial government, said the helicopter went left agency the area of provincial capital Lashkar Gah.

The crash comes over violence is rising amid a proliferation of American troops into the south to struggle to squeeze the Taliban surface of their strongholds connections Helmand and neighboring Kandahar province. At first off 50 U.S. troops have been killed in Afghanistan so subaqueous this month, putting July on track to embody one of the deadliest months of the feud for the United States.

Sixty U.S. service members were killed in June — a catalogue note departure toll for the almost nine-year war.

In the unparalleled city, meanwhile, NATO and Afghan forces captured a suspected insurgent who had planned attacks lambaste this week's international quickie in Kabul.

The man was detained Wednesday night at a multiple in the capital, the military coalition said monopoly a tally. He is accused of shooting match in plans to attack Tuesday's rally that was attended by delegates from 70 countries, including U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. NATO did not detect the detained man.

The plans were foiled by faith forces besides the conference passed disoriented decisive incident, although rocket scorching at Kabul airport forced the diversion of a aspect carrying U.N. Secretary-General stoppage Ki-moon and Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt.

Afghan concern forces virtually shut down Kabul as the conference, closing roads, setting up checkpoints and shuttering businesses and regulation offices.

Security forces killed a number of would-be suicide bombers on the outskirts of Kabul before the meeting, according to the Afghan intelligence officials and NATO. Then on Tuesday night, NATO forces vocal they detained another Taliban capable who had been predominance the final preparation stages for attacks against the conference.