Six people in a German military helicopter and at least two children on the ground were killed today when the aircraft crashed before landing at an airport near the Afghan capital, Afghan officials and witnesses said.
The cause of the crash was not immediately known, a senior Afghan official said.
Afghan officials said all six passengers had died in the crash, while a witness said he had seen the bodies of two children, who may have been killed when the helicopter hit the ground.
A German member of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) confirmed that an ISAF helicopter had crashed but could not give details.
Afghan defence ministry spokesman Gulbuddin said the helicopter crashed a few miles east of Kabul airport near a road leading to Bagram air base, the headquarters for the U.S military in Afghanistan.
Witnesses said the crash sent plumes of fire and smoke into the air, and one said he had seen 14 bodies at the crash site. Afghan security forces and foreign peacekeeping troops blocked the road leading to the site of the crash.
Germany is due to take over joint command next year of the 22-nation International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), which is charged with keeping the peace in the Afghan capital.