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2 Cdn Soldiers Killed in Roadside Bomb - Total now 127

by Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke | August 2, 2009 at 10:26 am

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Last month was one of the deadliest months in Afghanistan. It seems in the first two days of August the carnage continues. Along with six US troops and one French soldier, two Canadians have now paid the utlimate price. This brings the number of Afghanistan War Dead to 127.

Cpl. Christian Bobbitt, 23, and Sapper Mathieu Allard, 21 were killed by an improvised explosive device. This is the preferred tactic of the Taliban. The incident occurred in Zari District approximately 15 km West of Khandahar City.

Cpl Bobbitt Sapper Allard are members of 5 Combat Engineer Regiment, based in Valcartier, Quebec, near Quebec City.

Bobbitt had just been promoted to corporal.

He is survived by his spouse, Felicia, his brother, Jonathan, and his parents, Liane and Yvan.

Defence Minister Peter MacKay expressed his "deepest sympathies" to the families of both soldiers.

A third soldier was seriously injured in the incident. He is in stable condition in the hospital.

Brig.-Gen. Jonathan Vance told reporters in Kandahar the soldiers had dismounted from their vehicle to secure the area after an initial attack, when another IED exploded. But ISAF sources in Kabul suggested the secondary strike involved small arms fire.

There has already been a ramp ceremony and the soldiers are enroute to Trenton, Ontario.

KABUL–A bloody July has given way to more of the wretched same in August.

Another two Canadian soldiers were added to the roll-call of the dead on Saturday, killed by a roadside bomb in the Afghan city of Kandahar, officials announced today.

That brings to 127 the number of Canadian troops who've died during the Afghan mission since it was launched in 2002 – seven since the beginning of July.

Cpl. Christian Bobbitt, 23, and another unnamed soldier – the family is still being contacted – were killed by an improvised explosive device, the preferred tactic of insurgents, in the Zhari district. A third soldier was seriously injured but is in stable condition in hospital.

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Mary Richard

at 13:36 on August 2nd, 2009

So young, so senseless ...

Rory Cripps

at 14:18 on August 2nd, 2009

DAMN: Looked at the picture and shed a tear . . . they look oh so very young nowadays don't they? I can't say anything that makes any sense at this point . . . .

Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

at 14:24 on August 2nd, 2009

The sad part is that this is only the second day this month and it's starting off almost more deadly than last month. There have been at least 9 NATO death in 2 days. The majority from roadside bombs again.

Rory Cripps

at 15:31 on August 2nd, 2009

They know how to play the American media and the American people don't they? Pick 'em off a few at a time so that their pictures will be posted in the hometown news. A hundred or a thousand KIA wouldn't have the same effect. They've turned our soldiers into politically correct policeman, albertacowpoke, and the result will be many more KIA and wounded. Shame on the shameful . . . .

Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

at 15:44 on August 2nd, 2009

Although your assessment may be correct Rory, the other reason they use this tactic is that they have no chance fighting us any other way. Our weapons can play stand off with them, we have drones dogging them and our troops have overwhelming firepower. Roadside bombs, suicide bombers and ambushes are the only way to get to our troops.

In this incident it appears that there was an initial roadside bomb and as troops dismounted to take care of casualties and secure the area there was a secondary attack. It is not clear if it was another bomb or just small arms fire. The incident killed the two mentioned here and seriously injured another.

jaseenoor

at 15:34 on August 2nd, 2009

Afghanistan is a very difficult terrain to wage war. Well loss of human lives is condemnable. My feelings go with the families that are suffering at the moment.

Make money

Rory Cripps

at 16:01 on August 2nd, 2009

jaseenoor: It's a bad scene alright! But what's pissing many American's off right now is that the U.S. government (in conjunction with NATO) is sending American troops to their deaths for diplomatic/policeman/social welfare purposes instead of war purposes. Screw that! When you enlist in the U.S Armed Forces, you think that you're enlisting to fight the enemy and to kill the enemy. I know for a fact that there are a lot of military personnel in Afghanistan that are totally confused about their mission and are wondering what the hell they're doing there.