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Bomb attack kills Canadian soldier in Kabul
Last Updated Tue, 27 Jan 2004 9:34:35
KABUL - One Canadian soldier was killed and three others injured in a suicide attack on a convoy in Afghanistan's capital city Tuesday morning, military and police officials said.
"North of King's Palace we had a suicide bomber," said Maj. Jamie Morse, deputy commander of the Royal Canadian Regiment, 3rd Battalion.
"The explosives were strapped to the person's chest. There is one Canadian dead."
Cpl. Jamie Brendan Murphy, 26, of Conception Harbour, Nfld., was killed in the blast.
Military officials said the blast went off around 8:30 a.m. near two Iltis jeeps carrying six soldiers in a convoy. They were on a routine patrol in the western side of Kabul about one kilometre from Camp Julien, the main base housing most of Canada's 2,000 soldiers.
"There was a bump in the road, and when they slowed down to pass over it a terrorist jumped on one of the vehicles and blew himself up," said Ali Jan Askaryar, head of police in the western district of Kabul.
Lieut. Jason Matthew Feyko, 30 of Peterborough, Ont., Cpl. Jeremy Gerald MacDonald, 30, of Burnt Islands, Nfld. and Cpl. Richard Michael Newman, 23, of Heartland, N.B., who were wounded in the attack, were said to have non-life threatening injuries.
One of the injured soldiers was transported to a German medical facility at Camp Warehouse, and two others remain in the care of Canadian medical staff at Camp Julien.
"I am deeply saddened by the tragic incident that claimed the life of Cpl. Jamie Murphy and injured three others," Minister of National Defence David Pratt said in a statement. "Our deepest sympathies are with the families and friends of the victims of this terrible event."
All of the soldiers are members of the International Security and Assistance Force, and are taking part in policing and security operations in Kabul.
One Afghan civilian died and eight others were injured in the attack and are being treated in hospital.
Last October, two other Canadians were killed in Kabul. Sgt. Robert Allan Short, 42, and Cpl. Robbie Christopher Beerenfenger, 29, died when a suspected landmine was detonated under their jeep. Master Cpl. Jason Cory Hamilton, Cpl. Thomas Stirling and Cpl. Cameron Lee Laidlaw were hurt in the incident.
The latest attack comes less than a week after members of a second contingent of Canadian troops began heading to Afghanistan. They will replace the first wave of troops who have been there for the past six months.
Nearly 2,000 men and women from CFB Valcartier are expected to be in Camp Julien by mid-February.
Written by CBC News Online staff