KANDAHAR, Afghanistan – Another Canadian soldier was killed Friday in Afghanistan when his armoured vehicle struck an improvised explosive device in a district of the country long acknowledged as the birthplace of the Taliban.
Pte. Terry John Street, 24, of Hull, Que., was with the 2nd Battalion of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, based in Shilo, Man., said Brig.-Gen. Guy Laroche, the commander of Canadian forces in Afghanistan.
Street and his colleagues were redeploying after a long day of activity in the volatile Panjwaii district west of Kandahar city when the explosion occurred.
“Our presence here brings hope for a better future for all generations; some of them have known decades of war and oppression, while others are just beginning their lives,” Laroche said.
“This is why our brave men and women accept the risk of this mission and the challenge of giving back to the people of Afghanistan a peaceful and prosperous country.”
“I can only hope these thoughts will be of some comfort to the family and friends of Pte. Street in this time of grief.”
In a statement Prime Minister Stephen Harper paid tribute to Street.
“Private Street served his country with pride and selfless dedication,” the statement said. “He will forever be remembered as an example of bravery and outstanding dedication.”
Improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, have been on the rise in the perilous southern Kandahar province, but Canada’s efforts to locate and defuse or safely detonate them have also met with success, Laroche said.
He said the IEDs are not only a problem for Canadian and coalition forces, but also for local residents and their families whose mobility is severely restricted as a result.
Street is the 82nd Canadian soldier to die in Afghanistan since 2002.
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Canadian death toll in Afghanistan: 82 soldiers, one diplomat
Since 2002, 82 Canadian soldiers and one diplomat have died in Afghanistan. Here is a list of the deaths:
2008
April 4 – Pte. Terry John Street, 24, of Hull, Que., from 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, based in Shilo, Man., killed when his vehicle hit an improvised explosive device in Panjwaii district.
March 16 – Sergeant Jason Boyes, 32, of Napanee, Ont., from 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, Shilo, Man., killed by an explosive device while on foot patrol in Panjwaii district of Kandahar province.
March 11 – Bombardier Jeremie Ouellet, 22, of Matane, Que., from 1st Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, Shilo, Man., found dead at Kandahar Airfield. Military says death not related to combat.
March 2 – Trooper Michael Yuki Hayakaze, 25, from Lord Strathcona’s Horse, Edmonton, killed by roadside bomb in Mushan, 45 kilometres west of Kandahar City.
Jan. 23 – Sapper Etienne Gonthier, 21, of St-Georges, Que., near Quebec City, serving with 5ieme Regiement du Genie de Combat, killed when light armoured vehicle was hit by roadside bomb in Panjwaii district.
Jan. 15 – Trooper Richard Renaud, 26, of Alma, Que., a member of the 12e Regiment blinde du Canada, killed when the Coyote light armoured vehicle he was travelling in hit a roadside bomb while on patrol in the Arghandab district, north of Kandahar city.
Jan. 6 – Warrant Officer Hani Massouh, 41, and Cpl. Eric Labbe, 31, of 2nd Battalion, Royal 22nd Regiment, killed when their armoured vehicle rolled over in wet, rugged terrain southwest of Kandahar City.
2007
Dec. 30 – Gunner Jonathan Dion Jonathan Dion, 27, a gunner with the 5th Regiment d’Artillerie legere du Canada, killed and four others injured when their vehicle hit a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan.
Nov. 17 – Cpl. Nicolas Raymond Beauchamp of the 5th Field Ambulance in Valcartier and Pte. Michel Levesque of the Royal 22nd Regiment, killed when their light armoured vehicle hit a roadside bomb near Bazar-e Panjwaii.
Sept. 24 – Cpl. Nathan Hornburg, 24, with the King’s Own Calgary regiment, killed by a mortar shell while trying to repair a Leopard tank in southern Afghanistan.
Aug. 29 – Maj. Raymond Ruckpaul dies from gunshot inside a secure NATO compound in Kabul.
Aug. 22 – Master Warrant Officier Mario Mercier and Master Cpl. Christian Duchesne killed by roadside bomb west of Kandahar city.
Aug. 19 – Pte. Simon Longtin killed by a roadside bomb west of Kandahar city.
July 4 – Cpl. Cole Bartsch, Capt. Matthew Johnathan Dawe, Pte. Lane Watkins, Cpl. Jordan Anderson, Master Cpl. Colin Bason and Capt. Jefferson Francis, killed by a roadside bomb west of Kandahar city.
June 20 – Sgt. Christos Karigiannis, Cpl. Stephen Frederick Bouzane and Pte. Joel Vincent Wiebe, killed by a roadside bomb west of Kandahar city.
June 11 – Trooper Darryl Caswell killed a roadside bomb north of Kandahar.
May 30 – Master Cpl. Darrell Jason Priede, killed when a U.S. helicopter was reportedly shot down by the Taliban in Helmand province.
May 25 – Cpl. Matthew McCully killed by an improvised explosive device in Zhari district.
April 18 – Master Cpl. Anthony Klumpenhouwer, who served with elite special forces, died after falling from a communications tower while on duty conducting surveillance in Kandahar city.
April 11 – Master Cpl. Allan Stewart and Trooper Patrick James Pentland, killed when their Coyote vehicle struck an improvised explosive device.
April 8 – Sgt. Donald Lucas, Cpl. Aaron E. Williams, Pte. Kevin V. Kennedy, Pte. David R. Greenslade, Cpl. Christopher P. Stannix and Cpl. Brent Poland killed when their vehicle hit a roadside bomb.
March 6 – Cpl. Kevin Megeney killed in accidental shooting at NATO base in Kandahar.
2006
Nov. 27 – Chief Warrant Officer Bobby Girouard and Cpl. Albert Storm killed by suicide car bomber.
Oct. 14 – Sgt. Darcy Tedford and Pte. Blake Williamson killed in ambush.
Oct. 7 – Trooper Mark Andrew Wilson killed by roadside bomb.
Oct. 3 – Sgt. Craig Gillam and Cpl. Robert Mitchell killed in series of mortar, rocket attacks.
Sept. 29 – Pte. Josh Klukie killed by explosion in Panjwaii while on foot patrol.
Sept. 18 – Pte. David Byers, Cpl. Shane Keating, Cpl. Keith Morley and Cpl. Glen Arnold killed in suicide bicycle bomb attack while on foot patrol in Panjwaii.
Sept. 4 – Pte. Mark Graham killed when two NATO planes accidentally strafed Canadian troops in Panjwaii district.
Sept. 3 – Sgt. Shane Stachnik, Warrant Officer Frank Robert Mellish, Pte. William Cushley and Warrant Officer Richard Francis Nolan killed in fighting in Panjwaii district.
Aug. 22 – Cpl. David Braun killed in suicide attack.
Aug. 11 – Cpl. Andrew Eykelenboom killed in suicide attack.
Aug. 9 – Master Cpl. Jeffrey Walsh killed by apparent accidental discharge of rifle.
Aug. 5 – Master Cpl. Raymond Arndt killed when his G-Wagon patrol vehicle collided with truck.
Aug. 3 – Cpl. Christopher Reid killed by roadside bomb. Sgt. Vaughan Ingram, Cpl. Bryce Keller and Pte. Kevin Dallaire killed in rocket-propelled grenade attack.
July 22 – Cpl. Francisco Gomez and Cpl. Jason Warren killed when car packed with explosives rammed their armoured vehicle.
July 9 – Cpl. Anthony Boneca killed in firefight.
May 17 – Capt. Nichola Goddard killed in Taliban ambush. She was first Canadian woman to be killed in action while serving in combat role.
April 22 – Cpl. Matthew Dinning, Bombardier Myles Mansell, Lt. William Turner and Cpl. Randy Payne killed when their G-Wagon destroyed by roadside bomb.
March 29 – Pte. Robert Costall killed in firefight with Taliban.
March 2 – Cpl. Paul Davis and Master Cpl. Timothy Wilson killed when their armoured vehicle ran off road.
Jan. 15 – Glyn Berry, British-born Canadian diplomat, killed in suicide bombing.
2005
Nov. 24 – Pte. Braun Woodfield killed when his armoured vehicle rolled over.
2004
Jan. 27 – Cpl. Jamie Murphy killed in suicide bombing while on patrol.
2003
Oct. 2 – Sgt. Robert Short and Cpl. Robbie Beerenfenger killed in roadside bombing.
2002
April 18 – Sgt. Marc Leger, Cpl. Ainsworth Dyer, Pte. Richard Green and Pte. Nathan Smith killed when U.S. F-16 fighter mistakenly bombed Canadians.
