US plane
A US Air Force plane has reportedly crashed in Taliban controlled territory in central Afghanistan. (Picture: Twitter)

A US military plane is believed to have crashed in Taliban-controlled territory in Afghanistan, according to pictures and videos from the scene.

Footage of the wreckage was posted to social media on Monday by an account linked to the Taliban. It appears to show a US Air Force E11 BACN plane downed in the Ghanzi province.

In a statement to The Washington Post, Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Muhahid claimed ‘our mujahideen (fighters) tactically crashed the plane,’ although he did not elaborate on what tactics were allegedly used to fell the aircraft.

It is unclear how many passengers were aboard the aircraft, but a US military official told Fox News there were ‘less than five onboard’ the plane.

The Air Force Bombardier E-11A is a electronics surveillance aircraft that helps boos communications between ground units and commanders on the battlefield, which is often challenging in mountainous terrain.

‘It’s like Wi-Fi in the sky,’ a pilot said of the plane in a 2018 interview with the Air Force news service.

Officials said there are no indication that the plane was shot down, despite claims from the Taliban, who said everyone on board was killed including ‘high-ranking CIA’ officers.

The plane was identified in video because of a unique serial number seen on its side.

Footage shows the numbers 11-9 painted near the cockpit. The rest of the numbers are burnt off, but the E-11A BACN has the serial number 11-9358 painted in approximately the same location.

The crash comes after months of increased tension between the US and Taliban negotiators, who have sought to reach a peace deal that would allow for the withdrawal of US troops from the country. There are approximately 13,000 US troops presently in Afghanistan, according to US military command in the region.

US negotiators have asked the Taliban for a reduction in violence before peace talks resume. The Taliban has submitted a proposal, but the discussions have since stalled.