A Canadian soldier has died in an Afghan bomb attack, the second such death in less than a week.
The soldier has been identified as 23-year-old Pte. Jonathan Couturier of the 2nd Battalion, Royal 22e Regiment, based in Valcartier, Que.
Couturier, who was involved in a mission to seize weapons and control Taliban movements, was killed when an improvised explosive device exploded near his vehicle as it drove about 25 kilometres south of Kandadar City.
He is the 131st Canadian soldier to die in Afghanistan.
Eleven others were also injured in the blast, but those injuries weren't serious, said Brig.-Gen. Jonathan Vance.
"At the time of his death, Jonathan was returning from an operation designed to protect the population by removing insurgent command and control networks in the Panjwaii district," said Vance, who is the commander of Task Force Kandahar.
"This meant capturing weapons and IED caches and preventing the movement of insurgents and weaponry into areas where innocent civilians might be harmed."
Vance said that the young soldier was like a "little brother" for some of the older soldiers, and that he maintained a sense of humour even during bleak situations.
"He never missed an occasion to talk about his passions -- hockey, his (Ford) Mustang and last but not least, the love of his life -- Andreanne," Vance said.
The death comes a day after the body of Pte. Patrick Lormand, 21, returned to Canada in an emotional ceremony at CFB Trenton in Ontario.
On Sunday, Lormand was also killed in the volatile Panjwaii district by a roadside bomb.
The region, with its vast fields and farming compounds, has remained a Taliban bastion despite efforts to bring the area under control.
Four soldiers have now died in similar blasts this month. On September 6, Maj. Yannick Pepin and Cpl. Jean-Francois Drouin were killed by an IED.
Earlier on Thursday, six Italian soldiers and 10 Afghans were killed in Kabul by a suicide car bomber.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the blast and it came despite massive security in the Afghan capital.
Violence has been on the rise in Afghanistan as thousands of U.S. troops have entered the country with the intention of pushing insurgents out of their strongholds.
The attacks also follow a highly contentious presidential election, which still has no clear winner.
In the weeks before Afghans went to the ballot boxes, the Taliban vowed to disrupt voting through violence and intimidation.
With files from The Canadian Press
