Canada in Afghanistan

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

A Canadian soldier was found dead Saturday morning in Afghanistan in the southern province of Kandahar, and the Department of National Defence attributed his death to "non-combat-related wounds."

"One Canadian Forces member was found dead from non-combat related wounds at approximately 6:00 a.m. local Kandahar time on 25 June 2011 at a coalition forward operating base in Kandahar City," the Department said in a statement.

The soldier's identity has not yet been made public at the request of the family.

The soldier is the 157th Canadian to die in combat in Afghanistan since 2002.

Canadian combat troops have already started returning from Afghanistan, and will all be home this year.

At the same time, Ottawa is planning to send 950 military instructors to train Afghan soldiers.