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RIP Warrant Officer Robert John Wilson
Corporal Mark Robert McLaren
Private Demetrios Diplaros
1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
from Canadian Forces Base Petawawa
Thanks Bahbah.
STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA
OTTAWA - Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued the following statement today on the death of three Canadian soldiers:
“Today, all of Canada mourns the deaths of three brave soldiers killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan. On behalf of all Canadians, I would like to offer my most sincere condolences to the family and friends of Warrant Officer Robert John Wilson, Corporal Mark Robert McLaren, and Private Demetrios Diplaros who lost their lives today serving their country. I also extend my wishes for the prompt recovery of two Canadian soldiers wounded in a separate attack today in Kandahar Province.
These brave soldiers were part of an Operational Mentor and Liaison Team dedicated to teaching the Afghanistan National Army (ANA) the soldiering skills required for them to take full responsibility for security in their country. Training the ANA is one of Canada’s priorities in Afghanistan, and the mentoring teams are indispensible in this task. This attack took the lives of three Canadian soldiers when an improvised explosive device detonated close to their armoured vehicle while on a training patrol in the Arghandab District.
The three soldiers were with the 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment from Canadian Forces Base Petawawa and served as members of Task Force Kandahar’s Operational Mentor and Liaison Team.
Canadians and Afghans alike will remember the sacrifice of these exceptional Canadians who were dedicated to making both Afghanistan and the broader world a safer place to live. We will not be deterred in performing our vital mission by the cowardly attacks of the Taliban. While every life lost is tragic, we remain steadfast in our determination to help build a better Afghanistan.”
Canada is part of the International Security Assistance Force Operational Mentor and Liaison Team (OMLT) Program in Afghanistan. OMLTs are comprised of 12-19 people embedded with Afghan National Army battalions, brigades, garrisons and corps headquarters. The teams deploy for at least six months within the ANA teaching basic soldier skills, marksmanship principles, tactics and manoeuvres and planning and conducting patrols and other operations. Canada is currently participating in 6 OMLTs.
Warrant Officer Robert John Wilson, 1 RCR, Petawawa.
RIP Warrant Officer Robert John Wilson
Corporal Mark Robert McLaren
Private Demetrios Diplaros
1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
from Canadian Forces Base Petawawa