Canadian soldier reported killed in Afghanistan
Updated Sun. Aug. 19 2007 4:52 AM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
A Canadian soldier escorting a convoy in southern Afghanistan has died from injuries inflicted by a roadside bomb.
The 23-year-old from the Montreal area was with the Royal 22nd Regiment, the Quebec-based Van Doos. He is the first member of the regiment to die in Afghanistan and the 67th Canadian military casualty overall since 2002.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the soldier's family," said Col. Christian Juneau, deputy commander of Joint Task Force Afghanistan, at the Kandahar air field.
"We mourn him, we will honour him in the best military tradition, and we will carry on with the mission so his sacrifice will not be in vain."
The military is not immediately releasing the soldier's name or rank at the request of his family.
The incident happened about five kilometres east of Masum Ghar, considered a hotspot, at 1:40 a.m. local time.
The soldier, travelling in a LAV-III armoured vehicle, survived the initial blast and was airlifted to the base hospital. Doctors pronounced him dead on arrival.
Sunday's incident happened on the same road where a Canadian RG-31 Nyala hit a roadside bomb. That Aug. 12 incident left five soldiers slightly injured.
Two days ago, a LAV-III in another Canadian convoy struck a roadside bomb, leaving two soldiers injured.
The deceased soldier had arrived in Afghanistan just over two weeks ago, and was a member of Charlie Company in the Van Doos battle group.
Canada hasn't had a soldier die since July 4. On that day, six Canadian soldiers and their Afghan interpreter died when their RG-31 struck a roadside bomb.
Returning home
On Saturday night, a group of 90 Canadian soldiers arrived back at CFB Gagetown near Oromocto, N.B.
Lt.-Col. Robert Walker, commander of 2nd Battalion, the Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group, said early Sunday that the low point of his tour was the deaths of 18 soldiers under his command.
Seven of those soldiers were based at CFB Gagetown. All 18 died from roadside bombs.
"It was very, very hard but we're professional soldiers," Walker told reporters early Sunday.
He viewed their six-month tour of duty as a success for several reasons:
-Improved security in the Kandahar area
-Improvements to roads and transportation infrastructure
-Better vaccination programs for children
-Growing optimism among the Afghan people in the area
In remarks at a concert near Quebec City on Saturday night, Prime Minister Stephen Harper praised the humanitarian efforts of the Canadian military in Afghanistan.
"Quebecers, in particular, can be very proud of the women and men of the Royal 22nd who are writing another glorious page in the history of this regiment," he said at the event, held at the Levis Forts National Historic Site of Canada.
With files from CTV's Denelle Balfour and The Canadian Press
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...hub=TopStories