Families and friends of Canadian soldiers held a sendoff parade at CFB Petawawa, northwest of Ottawa on Friday. It marked the end of intense training for the troops before they leave for Afghanistan.

Most of the Petawawa troops are due to leave in July and August. Their main mission will be to patrol of the streets of Kabul, as part of an international security force.

The soldiers are headed into one of the most dangerous areas in the world, not as peacekeepers, but peace enforcers. They will help police the capital to keep warring factions apart and support the transitional government of President Hamid Karzai.

About 11,500 foreign troops, the majority of them American, are in Afghanistan to hunt down remnants of the former Taliban regime and their allies. It's a place where 20 members of the international security assistance force have been killed so far.

After months of intense training these soldiers say they're ready to walk into a war zone but are still worried. Terrorists are targeting foreign troops and that's what makes this mission so treacherous

"My greatest fear and fear of the soldiers is a suicide bomber," says Maj.-Gen. Andrew Leslie, Deputy Commander ISAF International Forces.

But at the official sendoff, the mood was optimistic as 4,000 soldiers held ceremonial sendoff parade.
After posing with his soldiers, Canada's army commander called his troops forward for a pep talk.

"You're going into an unstable country where threats inside and outside abound," Lt.-Gen. Rick Hillier/Army Commander told the troops. "The best weapon in Canada's army doesn't track and doesn't have wheels it moves around on combat boots."