US soldiers hurt in helicopter landing

A US Army helicopter has made a hard landing in eastern Afghanistan, injuring 14 soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division.

Initial reports from the scene, near the town of Khost, indicate that no-one was killed.

Army Colonel Frank Wiercinski said there were 24 soldiers aboard the helicopter and 14 of them were injured.

The injured were flown to a medical facility at Bagram airport north of the capital, Kabul.

The CH-47 Chinook transport helicopter was carrying members of the 101st Airborne to a US Marine Corps encampment near Khost.

The soldiers are replacing the Marines, who have been using the outpost in their search for al Qaida and Taliban fighters.

Col Wiercinski said the helicopter was on a "combat mission," but he would not provide any details.

He added that the pilot apparently failed to see holes in the ground at the landing site due to darkness and dust.

He said the soldiers were members of the 187th Regiment of the 101st Airborne.