Nine killed in helicopter collision amid ongoing Taliban-Afghan clashes

Nine people were killed Wednesday when two Afghan army helicopters carrying wounded soldiers collided in the southern Helmand province.

Officials said that the collision appeared to be caused by technical issues, BBC reported.

The region has seen a sharp uptick in fighting between the Taliban and U.S.-backed Afghan forces. More than 35,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in Helmand amid the clashes, according to the United Nations in Afghanistan.

American units this week conducted “targeted strikes” to slow a Taliban advance on Helmand and to protect Afghan national security forces defending the area, Pentagon officials said Monday.

Taliban attacks have continued even after the group held historic face-to-face talks with the U.S.-backed government in Kabul — negotiations aimed at securing a lasting, permanent ceasefire.

U.S. military officials say continued Taliban attacks, such as the Helmand offensive, make a cease-fire much less likely.