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KABUL - Six Canadian soldiers were killed and two wounded in southern Afghanistan today when their vehicle was blown up by a roadside bomb in the worst attack on 33,000-strong Nato multinational force fighting Taleban insurgents in several months.
The Canadian defence ministry said the incident happened west of Kandahar, the heartland of support for the Taleban.
"I can confirm they are Canadian but the identities have not been released," Lt. Morgan Bailey said from Canada's capital, Ottawa.
Separately, a Nato soldier was killed and another woundedestigation is very, very nascent...so it is premature at this stage to speculate what it was. Still very early but it is our belief that it was an improvised explosive device," Col. Mike Cessford, a Canadian commander, said at a televised news conference from Kandahar.
"Clearly, we are saddened by the loss of six of our best soldiers."
Cessford reiterated Canada's support for the Nato mission in the shattered country despite the attack. "This is what we do. We are focused on rebuilding Afghanistan," he said.
Last year saw the bloodiest fighting by Taleban insurgents since they were ousted from power in 2001. Most of the fighting has been in Helmand and neighboring Kandahar province, which provide the bulwark of support for the rebels.
Almost all Nato'S combat activities in Afghanistan are being conducted by US, British, Canadian and Dutch soldiers in the south and east, bordering Pakistan.
Britain has said it will send another 1400 soldiers soon -- making its deployment in Afghanistan greater than in Iraq. The United States has also committed an extra 3200 soldiers.
The Nato-led International Security Assistance Force has nearly quadrupled within the last three years, largely as a result of US and British reinforcements, and the transfer of American troops from a separate US-led coalition.
- REUTERS
