Syrian helicopter crash-lands, leaving 2 crew members dead

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — A Syrian military helicopter crash-landed in a rugged mountainous area during a training mission in the country’s northwest on Thursday, leaving two of the five crew members dead.

State media quoted an unnamed military official as saying that the helicopter faced technical problems while flying over the coastal province of Latakia and crash-landed in a mountainous area.

The official said two crew members were killed while three survived, and provided no detail on their condition.

A photo of the helicopter released by state news agency SANA showed its charred remains.

Syria’s conflict began in March 2011 and has killed nearly half a million people and displaced half the country’s pre-war population of 23 million.

Syrian government forces now control much of the country with the help of Russia and Iran, the main backers of President Bashar Assad. U.S. and Turkish troops have a presence in the country’s north and east.