Turkish soldiers killed in helicopter crash identified

A Turkish military aircraft transported the bodies of twelve military personnel killed in a helicopter crash, back to Turkey in the early hours of 18th March. On arrival at Etimesgut Military Airport, the bodies were transferred to Forensic Medicine Institution at Kecioren. Turkish officials have released the names of the crash victims:

Major Mithat Çolak
Major Şükür Bağdatlı
Major Serkan Dogan
Major Ismail Cem Yakinlar
Captain Adil Erdogan
Captain Ilker Aydin
Lieutenant Murat Yildiz
Lieutenant Tahsin Barutçu
Lieutenant Okan Melikoğlu
Sgt. Major Salih Helvacı
Sgt. Major Mehmet Akbas
Sergeant Onay Vurucu

Turkish military fatalities in Afghanistan

Twelve Turkish soldiers killed in helicopter crash

The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that twelve military personnel were killed when their helicopter crashed on Friday 16th March 2012.

The helicopter was on a mission for NATO forces when it went down near Kabul, the Turkish military said in a statement. "Twelve of our military personnel on board were martyred," it said.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said there were officers and non-commissioned officers on board.

There was no enemy activity in the area at the time of the crash, according to NATO.

The aircraft went down in a residential area on the outskirts of Kabul, killing four Afghan civilians on the ground.

More details to follow.

Turkish Helicopter crash near Kabul kills all on board

A helicopter of the Turkish military has crashed into houses on the outskirts of Kabul, killing all on board, according to Afghan police.

Turkey's foreign ministry confirmed the crash but declined to give further details. "We confirm that a Turkish helicopter crashed in Kabul according to initial findings," a ministry diplomat said. The official did not release any information on the death toll or the cause of the crash.

Afghan authorities were trying to determine the nationalities of the people who were on the helicopter when it crashed, Kabul criminal investigation department head Mohammad Zahir told news reporters.

Rescue workers were searching through the wreckage, in the Bagrami district of Kabul province, to determine whether there were any more casualties.

The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that twelve military personnel were killed.

Turkish military fatalities since 2002

List of Turkish military fatalities in Afghanistan since 2002

Date	Name	Rank	Age	Unit	Cause
16-Mar-12	Çolak, Mithat	Major			Air crash
16-Mar-12	Bağdatlı, Şükür	Major			Air crash
16-Mar-12	Dogan, Serkan	Major			Air crash
16-Mar-12	Cem, Ismail	Major			Air crash
16-Mar-12	Erdogan, Adil	Captain			Air crash
16-Mar-12	Aydin, Ilker	Captain			Air crash
16-Mar-12	Yildiz, Murat	1 Lt			Air crash
16-Mar-12	Barutçu, Tahsin	1 Lt			Air crash
16-Mar-12	Melikoğlu, Okan	1 Lt			Air crash
16-Mar-12	Helvacı, Salih	Sgt. Mjr.			Air crash
16-Mar-12	Akbas, Mehmet	Sgt. Mjr.			Air crash
16-Mar-12	Vurucu, Onay	Sergeant			Air crash
14-Jul-09	Sungur, Faruk	Colonel	51	Turkish Army	Accident
14-Jul-09	Mevlüt, Baydur	Sergeant	39	Turkish Army	Accident

Turkish Army Sergeant, Mevlut Baydur

Mevlut Baydur

Turkish Army Sergeant, Mevlut Baydur, aged 39, was one of two Turkish military personnel killed 14th July 2009, in a road traffic accident.

The two men, part of the Turkish Army delegation in Afghanistan, were there to provide security during local elections in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Exact details of the accident are unclear, but it has been classed as "suspicious".

Turkish Army Colonel, Faruk Sungur

Col. Faruk Sungur

Turkish Army Colonel, Faruk Sungur, aged 51, was one of two Turkish military personnel killed 14th July 2009, in a road traffic accident.

The two men, part of the Turkish Army delegation in Afghanistan, were there to provide security during local elections in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Exact details of the accident are unclear, but it has been classed as "suspicious". 

Two other soldiers in the same vehicle were injured in the accident.