Two Canadian soldiers died Sunday after their armoured vehicle rolled over in rough terrain near Kandahar City.
Military officials said the incident was "unrelated to enemy fire."
The two dead soldiers are Cpl. Eric Labbe, 31, of the Royal 22nd Regiment, born in Rimouski, Que.; and 41-year-old Warrant Officer Hani Massouh, also of the Royal 22nd Regiment, born in Alexandria, Egypt.
"We're saddened by this tragic loss. They will be missed and we will honour their sacrifice to the service of Canada and their contribution to bring peace to the people of Afghanistan," Brig.-Gen Guy Laroche told reporters in Afghanistan.
"On behalf of all the members of Joint Task Force Afghanistan, I would like to convey my most sincere sympathies to the families of our lost comrades."
Prime Minister Stephen Harper also extended his condolences and thanks.
"The loss of these two dedicated Canadians, whose hard work contributed to bring peace and stability to this war-torn country, will not be forgotten. They deserve the gratitude of all Canadians for their commitment and the work they performed on our behalf," he said in a statement.
CTV's Murray Oliver, reporting from Kandahar Airfield Monday morning, said the accident happened at about 6:30 p.m. local time, about 40 kilometres southwest of the city in the Zhari district.
Both soldiers were travelling inside the turret of a LAV III as it journeyed along a dirt track made slippery by rain. They died on the scene.
Two other soldiers inside the vehicle were unhurt in the accident. They were driving to an area where they hoped to set up camp for the night.
Oliver told CTV's Canada AM that the eight-wheeled, 20-ton vehicles have a "checkered history" and are known to become unstable when road conditions are rough or when encountering steep surfaces.
"It's had around a dozen rollovers in the time that the Canadian Forces have been using it. Here in Afghanistan, there have been three previous deaths from rollovers that have been attributed to the LAV III," he said from Kandahar Airfield.
Oliver said reporters questioned Laroche about whether troops should still be using the LAV III.
"We put this question to Guy Laroche, he's the commander of Canadian forces here, and he said he has complete confidence in the vehicle, that it is solid and reliable and has a lot of armour and firepower for the work it has to do."
Laroche said Monday that an investigation is underway to determine the exact circumstances of the incident.
The soldiers were part of operation Teng Azem, or "Steadfast Decision," an operation aimed at flushing out insurgents around the nearby community of Nalgham.
The operation has been underway since Friday and will likely continue, Oliver reported.
The deaths come one week after a roadside bomb blast claimed the life of Gunner Jonathan Dion, 27, as he travelled to Kandahar Airfield for New Year's Eve.
He was a member of the 5th Regiment d'Artillerie legere du Canada, which is based in Valcartier, Que.
Canada has 2,500 soldiers operating in southern Afghanistan as part of the NATO mission. Since 2002, 76 military personnel and one diplomat have died in the country.
Other violence
- A suicide bomber attacked a group of Afghan border police officers near Spin Boldak in Kandahar province, killing one and seriously wounding four others;
- Two police officers and two civilians died in Helmand province died when the police attempted to disarm a remote-controlled roadside bomb;
- Three Taliban militants were reported killed Sunday in clashes with Afghan and NATO troops in Kandahar province's Zhari district; and
- Two civilians died and five others were wounded Friday during fighting between NATO troops and the Taliban.
With files from The Associated Press
