The international military force in Afghanistan says seven American troops are among the 11 people who died in a Blackhawk helicopter crash in the country's south. A Taliban spokesman says the insurgents shot down the aircraft but the NATO-led force said it is still investigating the cause.

A spokesman for the alliance, Jamie Graybeal, said seven American service members were among the dead in Thursday's crash of a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter. He said four Afghans died _ a civilian interpreter and three members of the Afghan security forces.

Graybeal declined to give any details of the aircraft's mission.

Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi says the helicopter was shot down in Kandahar province on Thursday morning.

The coalition did not comment on the Taliban claims.