U.S. armed drone crashes in Afghan south

BAGRAM, Afghanistan, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- The U.S. Air Force announced Monday that a reconnaissance drone crashed in the volatile south of Afghanistan on Sunday morning.

According to a release from the Air Force, an MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle crashed in southern Afghanistan for unknown reasons.

MQ-1 Predator armed reconnaissance drones are widely used in Afghanistan for surveillance activities in the rugged mountainous region and Taliban stronghold between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The MQ-1, a long-endurance aircraft piloted via satellite from Creech Air Force Base in Nevada, also have engaged in several controversial airborne attacks on suspected militant camps within Pakistan's border.

Air Force officials say an investigation is under way to determine the cause of the crash.