Canadian soldier among dozens dead in Afghanistan

KANDAHAR (AFP) - A Canadian soldier was among two dozen people killed in new Taliban-linked violence in Afghanistan, authorities said Saturday.

The soldier, the 88th fatality from Canada’s military mission in Afghanistan since 2002, was killed when a bomb blew up a foot patrol in the southern province of Kandahar shortly before midnight Friday, the Canadian army said.

Canada is one of the major contributors to an international coalition helping the Afghan government tackle an insurgency launched after the Taliban were driven from government in late 2001 by a US-led coalition.

Four Afghan police officers were killed in another bombing in the same area on Saturday, police said. The Taliban said they had carried out the attack in Kandahar’s Maiwand district.