Taliban forces in Afghanistan got their revenge on the U.S. for the death of Osama Bin-Laden carried out by navy SEALS several months ago – when they shot down a helicopter carrying 31 U.S. Navy SEAL Special Forces team members.
Among those killed, U.S. officials said, were several operatives who had participated in the mission to apprehend and eliminate Bin-Laden earlier this year. "It's a big loss" for the SEALs, an official said.
The operatives were said to be on a mission to help U.S. soldiers engaged in a major firefight with Taliban forces. The helicopter went down in the remote Wardak region, which is largely controlled by Taliban. U.S. Military officials, speaking on the conditions of anonymity, have said the helicopter was shot down by the Taliban using a rocket-propelled grenade.
The deaths represent the greatest loss of military lives in a single incident since the war began in 2001.
At least 20 of the Navy SEALs were members of SEAL Team Six, the unit that carried out the operation that killed Osama Bin Laden.
The SEALs were members of the U.S. contingent of NATO's International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. ISAF said that 30 U.S. service members in ISAF, one civilian interpreter and seven Afghan commandos were killed.
ISAF commander Gen. John R. Allen said that “no words describe the sorrow we feel in the wake of this tragic loss," said Gen. John R. Allen, ISAF commander. "All of those killed in this operation were true heroes who had already given so much in the defense of freedom. Their sacrifice will not be forgotten.”
U.S. President Barack H. Obama mourned the troops, saying that had paid an “extraordinary price” to defend the U.S. “We will draw inspiration from their lives, and continue the work of securing our country and standing up for the values that they embodied," Obama said.