WASHINGTON - The US military said on Friday it had
identified the remains of all 30 American troops killed when the Taliban shot
down their helicopter last weekend in Afghanistan, the deadliest incident for
US forces in the nearly decade-long war.
The identification allows the
remains to be released to the families for burial throughout the
country.
A Pentagon spokeswoman said the remains of two of the eight
Afghans on board have also been identified. All eight will be sent back to
Afghanistan once the identification process is complete.
The US military has blamed the Taliban for using a
rocket-propelled grenade to shoot down the helicopter carrying
the elite forces - most of the victims were Navy SEALs.