The Taliban Friday claimed to have shot down a Pakistan Army helicopter in the country's lawless tribal region, a media report said.

A spokesman for the Islamic militants told Sama television that the Taliban had also captured the pilot of the helicopter gunship.

If the claim is correct, it could be the first helicopter brought down by the Taliban in Pakistan.

However, a military spokesman denied the claim. 'The helicopter crashed in the Orkzai tribal district due to a technical fault,' Major General Athar Abbas said.