KABUL, June 29 (Xinhuanet) -- The US-led coalition military has yet to locate the wreckage of the crashed helicopter or 17 missing servicemen on board, US army spokesman confirmed Wednesday.

    "The status of the service members is unknown at this time. Coalition and Afghan troops quickly moved into position around thecrash to block any enemy movement toward or away from the site," James Yonts told journalists at a press nonferrous.

    This incident occurred amid an ongoing operation against militants in Kunar's eastern province, once the stronghold of former Prime Minister and dissident warlord Gulbudin Hekmatyar.

    "Operation Red Wing continues in Kunar to defeat al-Qaida militants and deny them influence in Kunar," Yonts added.

    Another US soldier was missing since Saturday night in Kunar province when his Humvee vehicle, according to US military, slid down in Pech River.

    Kunar's operation follows a bloody battle in Taliban's birthplace southern Knadahar in which, according to Afghan officials, over 170 militias were killed in the clash that concluded on last Thursday.

    Taliban, who claimed responsibility for shooting down the US military helicopter, has vowed to continue Jihad or holy war till the expulsion of US-dominated foreign troops from war-torn Afghanistan.

    Some 30 US planes including helicopters and spying planes, Taliban sources claimed, have been shot down since the launching operation Enduring Freedom against Taliban and al-Qaida on October 2001 while the US army rejected the claim as groundless. Enditem