Last month was one of the deadliest months in Afghanistan. It seems in the first two days of August the carnage continues. Along with six US troops and one French soldier, two Canadians have now paid the utlimate price. This brings the number of Afghanistan War Dead to 127.

Cpl. Christian Bobbitt, 23, and Sapper Mathieu Allard, 21 were killed by an improvised explosive device. This is the preferred tactic of the Taliban. The incident occurred in Zari District approximately 15 km West of Khandahar City.

Bobbitt and Allard are members of 5 Combat Engineer Regiment, based in Valcartier, Quebec, near Quebec City.

Bobbitt had just been promoted to corporal.

He is survived by his spouse, Felicia, his brother, Jonathan, and his parents, Liane and Yvan.

Defence Minister Peter MacKay expressed his "deepest sympathies" to the families of both soldiers.

A third soldier was seriously injured in the incident. He is in stable condition in the hospital.

Brig.-Gen. Jonathan Vance told reporters in Kandahar the soldiers had dismounted from their vehicle to secure the area after an initial attack, when another IED exploded. But ISAF sources in Kabul suggested the secondary strike involved small arms fire.

There has already been a ramp ceremony and the soldiers are enroute to Trenton, Ontario.

Cpl. Christian Bobbitt, 23, and another unnamed soldier – the family is still being contacted – were killed by an improvised explosive device, the preferred tactic of insurgents, in the Zhari district. A third soldier was seriously injured but is in stable condition in hospital.