The bodies of the latest Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan arrived home on Sunday following the deadliest week for the military since its mission began five years ago.

Pallbearers carry the coffin of Master Cpl. Allan Stewart, one of two soldiers killed in Afghanistan last week, at CFB Trenton, Ont., on Sunday.
(Fred Chartrand/Canadian Press)

A military aircraft carrying the bodies of Master Cpl. Allan Stewart and Trooper Patrick Pentland touched down at Canadian Forces Base Trenton in eastern Ontario on Sunday evening.

Grieving family members and dignitaries stood shoulder to shoulder on the tarmac awaiting the sombre repatriation ceremony.

The men were killed Wednesday when a roadside bomb destroyed their Coyote armoured reconnaissance vehicle west of Kandahar City.

They had been en route to assist another convoy that had been hit about two hours earlier with an improvised explosive device less than a kilometre away. Three soldiers were wounded in the blasts.

Stewart and Pentland were the 52nd and 53rd Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan since 2002. Both were from New Brunswick and based with the Royal Canadian Dragoons in Petawawa, Ont.

Pentland, 23, grew up outside Oromocto, N.B., near CFB Gagetown. Stewart, 30, was born in Newcastle, N.B., and lived near Ottawa. He leaves a wife and two daughters.

On April 11, six other soldiers were killed in a roadside bomb attack, 75 kilometres west of Kandahar City.

Not since the Korean War, which ended in 1953, have Canadian troops in a combat role suffered losses on such a scale and in such a short period. More than 2,000 Canadian military personnel are stationed in Afghanistan.

Trooper Patrick Pentland (left) and Master Cpl. Allan Stewart (right) were killed Wednesday when a roadside bomb destroyed their Coyote armoured reconnaissance vehicle west of Kandahar city.
(Courtesy DND)

Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor said on Sunday that the mission to Afghanistan is succeeding, even though the Taliban remain dangerous.

"Inside Kandahar province there is no such thing as a [Taliban] spring offensive," he told CBC Newsworld, adding that most insurgent activity is now in Helmand province.

"There are a small number of Taliban who are setting IEDs [improvised explosive devices]. We've [been] able to defuse most of them."