Canadian soldier killed in Afghan bomb blast

OTTAWA (Reuters) - A Canadian soldier was killed and three others were injured in southern Afghanistan on Wednesday when their armored vehicle detonated a roadside bomb, military officials said.

Canada has now lost 107 soldiers since it first sent forces to Afghanistan in 2002. The dead man -- identified as Trooper Brian Richard Good -- was the 10th member of the Canadian Armed Forces to die in bomb blasts in just over a month.

Good was married and had two daughters.

Col. Jamie Cade, acting commander of Canadian forces in Kandahar, said the bomb exploded during a military operation around 35 km north of the city, but gave few other details.

Cade described the problem of roadside bombs as "definitely a plague" and one that was difficult to fight.

"We are finding more than we strike but sometimes the insurgents get lucky, and sadly that was the case today," he told a televised news briefing.

There are around 2,700 Canadian soldiers in Kandahar, capital of a region that is a stronghold for Taliban militants. The combat mission is scheduled to end in 2011.