By ANTARA News/AFP
Ottawa : A 22-year-old Canadian soldier was found dead Tuesday at Kandahar military base in southern Afghanistan, the Defense Ministry, adding that “enemy action” was was not the cause of death.
It was the 80th fatality suffered by the 2,500-strong Canadian contingent since it joined the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan in 2002. A Canadian diplomat also lost his life.
Jeremie Ouellet was found inside his room at the base Tuesday afternoon, the ministry said, adding that an investigation was “ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding this tragedy.”
“No further details are available at this time, although enemy action has been ruled out,” the statement added.
The tragedy comes two days ahead of parliament`s expected vote Thursday on whether to extend Canada`s mission in Afghanistan to 2011.
Canada plans to end the mandate of its troops in 2011 but has threatened to leave in a year if helicopters, drones and reinforcements do not arrive soon.