US jet crashes in Afghanistan

A US fighter jet crashed in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, the coalition force said. The fate of the aircraft's two crew members was unknown, the US military said in a statement, adding enemy fire was not involved in the crash of the F-15E in the early hours of Saturday in mountainous eastern Afghanistan.

"Two crew members were on board. Their condition is unknown at this time," the statement said.

Taliban have been able to bring down several military helicopters since the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 but the Islamic militants are known to lack weapons to hit fighter jets, which fly at a much higher altitude. There are about 90,000 international troops in Afghanistan to fight a growing Taliban-led insurgency against the western-backed government in Kabul.

- AFP