Cpl. Matthew McCully, the Canadian soldier killed Friday by an improvised explosive device in southern Afghanistan, died alongside the Afghan soldiers he helped mentor.
He was a member of Canada's Operational Mentor and Liaison Team, which trains Afghans how to fight as organized units.
McCully, who was based in CFB Petawawa, was killed while taking part in Operation Hoover -- a large offensive launched against the Taliban in southern Afghanistan.
"At approximately 8 a.m. Kandahar time today, one Canadian soldier, a member of our Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team was killed when an improvised explosive device detonated near a combined Afghan-Canadian patrol," Col. Mike Cessford, deputy commander of Canadian forces in Afghanistan, confirmed Friday.
The incident occurred approximately 35 kilometres west of Kandahar City in the volatile Zhari district. Operation Hoover is the largest offensive in nearly two months that Canadian troops have participated in.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper, speaking during a fundraiser for the Calgary Military Museums Society, said McCully's death is a reminder the Afghanistan mission "has been long, hard and difficult."
But he added that "we have racked up an impressive list of accomplishments. The men and women of the Canadian Forces have conducted themselves with the utmost degree of professionalism and demonstrated exceptional bravery and skill on the battlefield."
McCully, a signals operator from 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group Headquarters and Signals Squadron, is the 55th Canadian serviceman to die in Afghanistan.
"During this operation the Afghan forces were moving forward, leading this operation to clear some of the areas, making sure that the Afghan people there were secure and that there were no Taliban in the area," said Cessford.
"Our mentoring team are comrades-in-arms with the Afghans -- they share the risk, they work closely with them -- and unfortunately as the soldier was moving forward with other Canadians and other Afghan soldiers an IED was triggered and he was killed."
He said the Taliban have chosen to bring the fight among the people.
"We lost a good kid today and we're thinking about him and our thoughts are going out to the family right now," said Cessford. "He was doing what he needed to do, what he wanted to do, and he was working closely with Afghan soldiers to achieve the right thing for this country."
One other Canadian soldier, also a member of the mentoring team, and an Afghan interpreter were wounded in the incident.
The injured soldier was evacuated by helicopter to Kandahar Air Field.
"The wounds suffered are non-life threatening and he has spoken to his family," said Cessford. "The Afghan interpreter was slightly wounded and chose to remain with Canadians doing his duties."
Cessford also said the remains of the fallen soldier were transported by helicopter to Kandahar Air Field.
Gen. Rick Hillier, Chief of Defence Staff, said in Toronto Friday that it's never easy dealing with the loss of a soldier.
"There's no way you ever get used to it, no way you ever want to get used to it," Hillier said. "This is a tough day.
"What we're going to do is make sure that as part of our work his footprint in the sand, if you will, his legacy, will never be forgotten."
He also said McCully served an extremely important role in giving Afghans the necessary tools to help bring security to their country.
"One of our key lines of operation is to help build the capacity of the Afghan people to do their own security," Hillier told CTV's Mike Duffy Live.
"We do that by working the Afghan National Army, which started about four-and-a-half years ago, and helping make their soldiers into trained, effective, professional soldiers. And turn those soldiers as collectives into effective units."
Operation Hoover also includes Portuguese soldiers and British air support but troops from the Afghan National Army (ANA) are taking the lead in the charge.
With files from The Canadian Press
