Canadian soldier
dies in accident in
Afghanistan
Updated Wed. Apr. 18
2007 9:17 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
A Canadian special
forces soldier has died
in what military
officials are calling an
unfortunate and tragic
accident.
The soldier fell from
a communication tower
somewhere within
Kandahar City on
Wednesday, Col. Mike
Cessford, deputy
Canadian commander in
Afghanistan, told
reporters in Kandahar
early Thursday.
"I believe this was a
routine activity. It was
not operationally
related," he said. "By
all indications, this
was a tragic accident."
An accidental death
doesn't make it any
easier to take, he said.
"A loss is a loss of
a soldier. This soldier
is going home to his
family. It is a tragedy.
We care for every
soldier, no matter the
circumstances of their
deaths," he said.
While the next of kin
have been informed, they
have requested that his
name not be released,
Cessford said.
This latest fatality
would bring the total
number of soldiers
killed in Afghanistan
since 2002 to 54 plus
one diplomat.
Cessford said he
believes this is the
first special forces
soldier to die in
Afghanistan.
It also marks the
54th Canadian soldier to
have died in
Afghanistan. Most have
died either in suicide
or bomb attacks by
insurgents or in combat.
|
News Release
Two Canadian soldiers killed in
Afghanistan
CEFCOM NR–07.007 - April 11, 2007
OTTAWA – Two Canadian soldiers were killed
and two others were injured, one seriously,
when a roadside bomb exploded near their
vehicle earlier today. The incident occurred
shortly before 8 p.m. Kandahar time,
approximately 38 km west of Kandahar City.
These soldiers had been assisting another
vehicle that had been struck by a roadside
bomb earlier in the day, one soldier
suffered only minor injuries in this earlier
attack.
The three injured soldiers were immediately
evacuated to the multinational medical
facility at Kandahar Airfield for treatment
and are assessed as stable.
The names of the casualties are being
withheld pending next of kin notification.
Today is another sad day for the Canadian
Forces and our thoughts and prayers are with
the families and friends of these fine
soldiers. The incidents of the last few
days, while challenging for Joint Task Force
Afghanistan, have galvanized our
determination to support and help the
long-suffering people of Afghanistan.
News Release
Names of Canadian soldiers
killed in Afghanistan released
CEFCOM NR–07.009 - April
11, 2007
OTTAWA – The names of the two
Canadian soldiers killed by a
roadside bomb in Afghanistan on
April 11, 2007 are as follows:
Master Corporal Allan
Stewart, The Royal
Canadian Dragoons, based in
Petawawa, Ont.; and
Trooper Patrick James
Pentland, The Royal
Canadian Dragoons, based in
Petawawa, Ont.
These two soldiers were
killed and two others were
injured, one seriously, when a
roadside bomb exploded near
their vehicle earlier today. The
incident occurred shortly before
8 p.m. Kandahar time,
approximately 38 km west of
Kandahar City. The soldiers had
been assisting another vehicle
that had been struck by a
roadside bomb earlier in the
day, one soldier suffered only
minor injuries in this earlier
attack.
News Release -DND
Six Canadian soldiers killed, two injured in
Afghanistan
CEFCOM NR–07.006 - April 8, 2007
OTTAWA – Six Canadian soldiers were killed and two of
their comrades were injured today in Afghanistan after a
roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle. The incident
occurred at approximately 13:30 hrs Kandahar time, west
of Kandahar City. Four soldiers were evacuated by
helicopter to the Canadian-led multinational hospital at
Kandahar Airfield for further medical assessment. One
soldier suffered serious but non-life threatening
injuries from the blast and will likely be transferred
to the U.S. military facility at Landstuhl, Germany.
Another soldier who only received minor injuries was
released from the hospital along with the other two who
had not suffered any physical injuries.
The names of the casualties are being withheld
pending the notification of families.
Though very saddened by the news several of their
comrades have fallen in the line of duty, Canadian
troops in Afghanistan remain staunchly committed to the
critical mission of helping the Afghan people achieve
peace and stability and rebuild their country and
institutions.
More News
|
April 8, 2007 - 16:41
Col. Mike Cessford, deputy
commander of Task Force
Afghanistan, announced in
Kandahar, Afghanistan,
Sunday, that six Canadian
soldiers were killed in a
roadside bomb explosion and
two soldiers were wounded,
one seriously. (CP/John
Cotter)
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan
(CP) - A devastating
roadside-bomb explosion
killed six Canadian soldiers
Sunday in the worst
single-day toll for the
Canadian Forces in
Afghanistan, military
officials said.
The explosion west of
Kandahar city also caused
serious but
non-life-threatening
injuries to one Canadian
soldier and light injuries
to another, said Col. Mike
Cessford, deputy commander
of the Canadian contingent
in Kandahar.
Two other soldiers were
examined in hospital and
released, he told reporters
at Kandahar Airfield.
The soldiers were in a
moving vehicle when the
blast occurred around 1
p.m., Cessford said.
"You can appreciate,
clearly we are saddened by
the loss of six our best
soldiers ... but we stay
committed to the mission,"
he said.
"This is what we do. We
are focused on rebuilding
Afghanistan, on doing the
right things for those kids
who wave at us every day as
we drive down the roads
here."
In Ottawa, Navy Lt.
Morgan Bailey, a spokeswoman
for the Defence Department,
said officials were in the
process of contacting next
of kin. Names of the
deceased and other details
were being withheld pending
completion of that process.
Bailey said this is the
worst one-day death toll
since Canada's mission in
Afghanistan began. Sunday's
toll brings the total number
of Canadian killed since
2002 to 51.
Canada has about 2,500
soldiers serving with NATO's
International Security
Assistance Force in
Afghanistan.
Speaking in France to
mark the 90th anniversary of
the Battle of Vimy Ridge,
Prime Minister Stephen
Harper said it has been a
"difficult day in
Afghanistan."
He broke the news of the
six deaths at a dinner for
veterans and said "our
hearts ache for them and
their families." |
News Release - DND update
Names of five Canadian soldiers killed in
Afghanistan released
CEFCOM NR–07.007 - April 8, 2007
OTTAWA – The names of five of the six Canadian
soldiers killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan on
April 8, 2007 are as follows:
Sergeant Donald Lucas, 2nd
Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment, based in
Gagetown, N.B.;
Corporal Christopher Paul Stannix, a
Reservist from the Princess Louise Fusiliers, based in
Halifax, N.S.;
Corporal Aaron E. Williams, 2nd
Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment;
Private Kevin Vincent Kennedy, 2nd
Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment; and
Private David Robert Greenslade, 2nd
Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment.
At the request of the family, the name of the sixth
soldier killed is being withheld temporarily.
The soldiers were killed when an improvised explosive
device detonated near their LAV-III armoured vehicle.
The incident occurred at approximately 13:30 hrs
Kandahar time on April 8, approximately 75 km west of
Kandahar City, near the border between Helmand and
Kandahar provinces.
The incident occurred as Canadian soldiers from the
2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group
were conducting convoy security operations as part of
Operation ACHILLES, a major International Security
Assistance Force (ISAF) operation underway in the south
of Afghanistan. Launched in early March in the Sangin
region, Operation ACHILLES is a combined effort between
the Afghan national security forces and NATO’s ISAF
aimed at creating the security conditions required for
reconstruction efforts to progress at a faster pace in
Helmand province. Canadian troops from Joint Task Force
Afghanistan have played an important supporting role in
Operation ACHILLES preventing Taliban insurgents from
reinforcing or fleeing the area of Sangin valley.
In the incident, a Canadian soldier suffered serious
but non-life threatening injuries from the blast and
plans are currently being made to transfer him to the
U.S. military medical facility at Landstuhl, Germany.
Three other soldiers, one of whom was lightly injured
and two who had not suffered any physical injuries from
the incident were released from the hospital at Kandahar
Airfield on April 8.
4 are from Gagetown,
N.B., and 1 from Halifax, Canadian
Forces says
Last
Updated: Sunday, April 8, 2007 |
9:40 PM ET
injured Sunday when their
armoured vehicle struck a
roadside bomb west of Kandahar
City, resulting in the worst
single-day loss of life for
Canadian Forces in
Afghanistan, military officials
said.
The LAV III hit an
"improvised explosive device"
around 1:30 p.m. local time,
Col. Mike Cessford, deputy
commander of Task Force
Afghanistan, told reporters at
the airbase in southern Kandahar
province. Ten soldiers in total
were in the vehicle.
The military later released
the names of five of the dead
soldiers. Four were with
Gagetown, N.B.-based 2nd
Battalion, the Royal Canadian
Regiment: Sgt. Donald Lucas,
31, Cpl. Aaron E. Williams, 23,
and Privates Kevin Vincent
Kennedy,20, and David Robert
Greenslade, 20.
|
The latest Canadian
casualties in
Afghanistan include Pte.
David Robert Greenslade,
top left, Pte. Kevin
Vincent Kennedy, top
right, Sgt. Donald
Lucas, bottom left, and
Cpl. Aaron E. Williams,
bottom right. |
|
Cpl. Brent Poland, left,
and Cpl. Christopher P.
Stannix, right.
(DND)
|
Earlier, Prime Minister
Stephen Harper confirmed the
deaths while speaking to a
shocked crowd of dignitaries
and veterans in Lille, France,
where he was attending a
dinner to mark the 90th
anniversary of the Battle of
Vimy Ridge.
Military
officials have identified the six dead as:
Sgt. Donald
Lucas, 31, of Burton, N.B. (but raised in
St. John's).
Cpl. Aaron
E. Williams, 23, of Lincoln, N.B.
Pte. Kevin
Vincent Kennedy, 20, of St. Lawrence, N.L.
Pte. David
Robert Greenslade, 20, of Saint John, N.B.
Cpl.
Christopher Paul Stannix, 24, of Dartmouth,
N.S.
Cpl. Brent
Poland, 37, of Camlachie, Ont.
Statement
Statement by the Minister of
National Defence on the deaths
of Six Canadian soldiers in
Afghanistan
NR-07.020 - April 9, 2007
OTTAWA – The Honourable Gordon
O'Connor, Minister of National
Defence, issued the following
statement today on the deaths of
six Canadian soldiers:
“It is with the utmost sorrow
that I extend my condolences,
and those of all Canadians, to
the families and friends of
Sergeant Donald Lucas, Corporal
Brent D. Poland, Corporal
Christopher Paul Stannix,
Corporal Aaron E. Williams,
Private David Robert Greenslade,
and Private Kevin Vincent
Kennedy.
Those who fell will be deeply
missed by the Canadian Forces
family. The dedication and
bravery of these soldiers will
be forever remembered. I also
extend my wishes for a speedy
recovery to those injured in the
attack.
Our troops have a clear mission
- to build security and
stability in Afghanistan. And it
is because our soldiers are
succeeding in this mission that
they came under attack.
It is in Canada’s national
interest that the people of
Afghanistan regain control of
their own destiny - to ensure
their country never again
becomes a launching pad for
global terrorism. There can be
no doubt that the desperate
terrorists who carried out
yesterday’s attack want to
return a murderous regime to
power.
On both sides of the Atlantic
yesterday, Canadians paid their
respects for the soldiers who
fought in the Great War. These
six soldiers who gave their
lives carry on the valiant
tradition of putting country
before self.”
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