5th Canadian soldier in a week killed in Afghanistan

August 7, 2006

Over 2,000 NATO troops stood at attention at Kandahar Airfield Monday morning to mourn the death of the fifth Canadian soldier in a week to die in Afghanistan. Master Cpl. Raymond Arndt, a 32 year-old reservist from Peers, Alberta, was killed in a traffic accident August 5th when the G-Wagon he was travelling collided head-on with a civilian truck 35 kilometres southeast of Kandahar. The vehicle was part of a convoy delivering medical supplies. Three other soldiers were injured in the crash which occurred as the military was preparing to transport home the bodies of four other Canadian soldiers who were killed August 3rd during heavy combat with Taliban insurgents. Sgt. Vaughn Ingram, Cpl. Bryce James Keller, Cpl. Christopher Jonathan Reid and Pte. Kevin Dallaire, all members of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, were killed by a rocket-propelled grenade near the village of Pashmul, west of Kandahar. Their bodies were returned to Canadian Forces Base CFB Trenton on Sunday where a memorial service was held. Master Cpl. Arndt's remains will arrive at the eastern Ontario military base on Tuesday.

In all, 24 Canadian soldiers and one diplomat have been killed since the beginning of Canada's military presence in Afghanistan in March 2002. Sixteen soldiers have died in the past six months. Canada has approximately 2,000 soldiers stationed around Kandahar in the south of Afghanistan where Taliban resistance is strongest.