Eleven coalition members were killed Thursday, to include seven American troops, when a International Security Assistance Force helicopter crashed in southern Afghanistan, military officials said.

Three members of the Afghan national security forces, plus an Afghan civilian interpreter were also killed in the crash, NATO officials said.

ISAF is currently investigating the cause of the crash, officials said. Senior Taliban insurgents are claiming responsibility for shooting down the helicopter but that has yet to be determined, ISAF officials said.

The helicopter went down north of Kandahar near Zabul Province. The area is used by insurgent fighters move and pick up supplies into southern Afghanistan by the Taliban.

Sara A. Carter is The Washington Examiner's national security correspondent. She can be reached at scarter@washingtonexaminer.com.