Cdn. captain killed in Afghanistan firefight

Capt. Nichola Goddard, of 1st Royal Canadian Horse Artillery based in Shilo, Man., also became the seventeenth Canadian to die in the country since 2002, and the first female combat death since the Second World War.

Goddard, 26, of Calgary, was serving with Task Force Afghanistan and was attached to the 1st Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (1 PPCLI) Battle Group.

She was married with no children.

Brig.-Gen. David Fraser, commander of the multinational brigade based in Kandahar, said Goddard was killed in action at 6:55 p.m. local time (10:25 a.m. ET) about 24 kilometres west of Kandahar city in the Panjwai region.

"Our hearts, our prayers and our sympathies go out to the family of Nichola Goddard," said Fraser as he stood in front of a Canadian flag at half-mast.

Members of the Canadian Forces were sent in to reinforce combined operations of the Afghan National Army and the Afghan police, who were involved in multiple firefights against Taliban insurgents.

Fraser said the soldiers had formed a ring around the "outer cordons" of one battle area, while the "inner work was being done by the Afghan security forces." Coalition air support was also involved.

Fraser said details surrounding Goddard's death were still sketchy.

"There was a firefight out there and sometime during the firefight she was killed.

"It's a hard day but it's also a day of achievement," added Fraser, saying there were "significant" Taliban casualties in the battle and a number of Taliban members were captured.

There has been intermittent fighting in the region since Monday between Afghan forces and Taliban insurgents.

The estimates of Taliban fighters and suicide bombers killed in the violence ranged up to 87, with 14 Afghan police, an American civilian, an Afghan civilian and Capt. Goddard also killed in the multiple attacks.

An assault by hundreds of enemy fighters on a small southern town was one of the largest attacks by militants since 2001 and marked another escalation in the campaign by supporters of the former Taliban regime to challenge the U.S.-backed government of President Hamid Karzai.

And an attack late Wednesday and early Thursday on a police and government headquarters in the town of Musa Qala in Helmand province sparked eight hours of clashes with security forces

Goddard's death occurred as troops prepared for a concert at Kandahar Airfield that was designed to entertain the troops and boost spirits, CTV's Janis Mackey Frayer said.

Canadian singer Michelle Wright was scheduled to perform both Wednesday and Thursday night, along with The Wilkinsons and Julian Austin.

Officials had even relaxed a strict no-alcohol policy at the base to allow beer consumption during the party.

Initial reports suggested Goddard was Canada's first female combat death. But later information revealed she is the first since the Second World War, in which five women were killed in action.

Since 2002, one Canadian diplomat and 16 soldiers, including four who died in the friendly-fire bombing by a U.S. warplane, have been killed.

Statement from the prime minister

Canada's latest fatality came as MPs narrowly passed a Conservative motion in the House of Commons Wednesday night to extend Canada's commitment in Afghanistan by two years.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper released a statement on the death of Capt. Goddard.

"On behalf of all Canadians, I wish to express our profound regret and sadness at news of the death of Captain Nichola Goddard.

"Captain Goddard died while helping to bring peace, stability and democracy to a troubled region of the world. She, and the other men and women who serve in Afghanistan, are involved in a difficult and dangerous mission. They are serving our country and its people with distinction. Our nation will not forget their sacrifice.

"I wish to extend our deepest condolences to Captain Goddard's family, friends, and co-workers - particularly those at her home base of 1 Royal Canadian Horse Artillery (1 RCHA) in Shilo, Manitoba. Our thoughts and prayers are with them and with the families and loved ones of all those serving in Afghanistan."

Manitoba Premier Gary Doer also expressed regret.

"On behalf of the people of Manitoba, we respect her life of bravery and honour on behalf of Canada, and we offer our condolences to the family and to the community of Shilo," Doer told CJOB radio in Winnipeg.

Suicide bomber strikes UN convoy

Meanwhile, a suicide car bomb exploded near a UN convoy in southern Afghanistan on Wednesday. The attacker died, but there were no reports of other casualties.

The bombing took place in the former Taliban stronghold of Kandahar, as a convoy of vehicles was travelling to a nearby coalition base.

Thor Yali, a police officer at the scene of the attack, told the Associated Press the attack occurred in Kandahar city, a former Taliban stronghold, as the convoy was travelling to a nearby U.S.-led coalition base.

An AP reporter said parts of the attacker's body were visible on the road next to a severely damaged UN four-wheel-drive vehicle.

UN spokesman Adrian Edwards said there were no immediate reports that anyone was hurt. The investigation is ongoing.

With reports from CTV's Janis Mackey Frayer and The Canadian Press in Kandahar, Afghanistan.