Turkish authorities hold a military ceremony Saturday for twelve Turkish soldiers killed in a NATO helicopter crash Friday.
The NATO helicopter crashed into a house on the outskirts of the Afghan capital Friday killing all twelve Turkish soldiers on board and two women and two children on the ground. 2,930 foreign solders have died in Afghanistan since the war was launched in 2001.
The crash comes amid growing unease among NATO partners about the increasingly unpopular and costly war nearly 11 years into the conflict. Most foreign combat troops are set to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014.
Turkey's mission in Afghanistan is limited to patrols and its soldiers do not take part in combat operations. It has more than 1,800 soldiers serving in the country.
Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters