Pakistan army Mi-17 crashes near Muzaffarabad, all killed

A Pakistani military helicopter crashed shortly after takeoff near Muzaffarabad on Wednesday, killing all personnel on board in one of the country's deadliest military aviation accidents in recent months. The military said the Mi-17 helicopter went down due to a technical fault.

The crash occurred near the regional capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir. According to initial reports, the helicopter was transporting soldiers in the Neelum Valley sector. Witnesses stated the aircraft crashed shortly after departing from a helipad. Rescue and recovery teams were immediately dispatched to the scene, and ambulances transported the victims to a nearby hospital.

The military's media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), confirmed there were no survivors, stating all personnel on board had "embraced martyrdom." While one report indicated 21 personnel were killed, the military did not immediately disclose the official number of casualties. A board of inquiry has been ordered to determine the exact cause of the crash.

The incident took place amid a heightened security presence in Muzaffarabad following recent protests. A recently banned alliance of groups, the Joint Awami...