Three Canadian soldiers killed in southern Afghanistan

Mar 4, 2009, 10:21 GMT

   Kabul - Three Canadian soldiers were killed in a roadside bomb blast in southern Afghanistan, NATO said Wednesday.

   The soldiers, part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), were killed Tuesday when their vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb in the Arghandab district of Kandahar province, a NATO spokesman said.

   The Canadian military said two other soldiers were injured during a patrol north-west of Kandahar city and were in good and fair condition after being evacuated to hospital.

   The recent deaths brought the total number of Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan to 111 since their deployment there in 2002.

   More than 2,500 Canadian soldiers are stationed in Kandahar province. The soldiers are part of the more than 50,000-strong ISAF, deployed to the country from 41 nations.

   Taliban insurgents, who lost power in late 2001 in a US-led invasion, have recently largely relied on the use of roadside attacks as part of their campaign to topple the Western-backed Afghan government.

   The militants nearly doubled the use of roadside bombs in 2008, according to military sources.

   With nearly 300 foreign military fatalities, last year marked the deadliest period for international forces since the fall of the Taliban.