Kabul, Mar 18 (IANS): An Afghan military helicopter crashed in Wardak province, killing all nine people on board, officials said on Thursday.

According to a statement by the Ministry of Defence, the Mi-17 helicopter crash landed in Hesa-e-Awal Behsud district, reports dpa news agency.

The statement said the victims comprised four crew members and five security personnel, adding that an investigation was underway.

According to local officials, the helicopter was en route to evacuate a wounded soldier from the highly-contested province when the incident took place.

The incident took place as a high-profile summit with the aim of finding a peaceful solution to the long-running conflict in Afghanistan was set to take place in Moscow on Thursday.

An official delegation from Kabul and the militant Taliban group are also expected to attend the conference in the Russian capital.

Peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government representatives that started in September 2020 in Qatar have stalled in recent months, with no tangible progress.