Iran helicopter crash killed at least 13-report

TEHRAN, Feb 26 (Reuters) At least 13 soldiers, including two Revolutionary Guards commanders, were killed when an Iranian military helicopter crashed near the border with Turkey on Saturday, Iran's student news agency ISNA reported today.

Military officer Hassan Rastgar Panah was quoted by ISNA as saying two commanders, the pilot and 10 other soldiers were killed ''on a mission to control the region'' in northwest Iran.

Iranian media initially reported one commander was killed and eight other people were on the aircraft. Later, some media said the death toll was as high as 14.

Iran's official IRNA news agency has said 17 rebels were killed during the mission.

Iranian media blamed the crash on bad weather. The Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK), an Iranian offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) which is fighting for Kurdish autonomy in southeast Turkey, claimed it shot down the helicopter.

REUTERS PB BD1719