Islamabad, July 4 Twenty-six Pakistani soldiers were killed when a helicopter in which they were travelling crashed in the Orakzai tribal agency close to the Afghan border, a media report said Saturday.

The MI-17 helicopter crashed Friday due to a technical problem, the Online news agency said citing army officials.

Media reports earlier said that Taliban militants shot down the helicopter. There were 30 army personnel on board.

The helicopter was returning to Peshawar from Para Chinar when it went down in the Chappar Feroze Khel area.