A spokesman for Kandahar Governor
Tooryalai Wesa confirmed it happened
near Kandahar City, and said it was due to
"technical problems".
Spokesman Dawakhan Minapal said: "Today
at 11am (0630 GMT) an ISAF helicopter
crashed due to technical problems in
Takhteh Pol district. As a result five ISAF
soldiers were killed."
The International Security Assistance Force
(ISAF) coalition of international forces
added: "Five International Security
Assistance Force service members died as a
result of a helicopter crash in southern
Afghanistan today.
"ISAF is still in the process of reviewing
the circumstances to determine more
facts. Our thoughts and prayers go out to
the family and friends affected by this
tragic event."
It brings the total number of international
troops killed in the war torn country this
month to seven.
Nato combat operations in Afghanistan
are due to come to an end this year ,
with responsibility for fighting the Taliban
insurgency handed over to the Afghan
army and police.
A total of 448 UK soldiers have died in
Afghanistan since 2001 but fewer have
been injured in the most recent tours as
Afghan forces now lead 97% of security
operations across the country.
If the fatalities today are confirmed to be
from the UK, it would be one of the worst
air crashes involving British forces in the
conflict.
In September 2006 a Nimrod surveillance
aircraft from RAF Kinloss in Scotland
exploded mid-air while supporting Nato
ground operations near Kandahar, killing
all 14 servicemen on board.
Six American soldiers were killed in a
helicopter crash in the southern Zabul
province in December last year.
