The Canadian military has identified a second soldier killed in Afghanistan over the weekend in a vehicle rollover during a mission in the volatile Zhari district of southern Afghanistan.

Warrant Officer Hani Massouh was killed Sunday when his LAV III rolled over in difficult terrain in the Zhari district of southern Afghanistan, the Canadian military said.
(Cpl. Marc-André Gaudreault/DND)

Warrant Officer Hani Massouh, who was with the 2nd Battalion, Royal 22nd Regiment from CFB Valcartier near Quebec City, died instantly in the incident at about 6:30 p.m. local time on Sunday in the Nalgham region, about 40 kilometres southwest of Kandahar City.

Massouh, 41, was born in Alexandria, Egypt.

Also killed was Cpl. Eric Labbé of the same regiment. He was born in Rimouski, Que.

Both soldiers were in the turret of the LAV III and were moving across "rough and difficult terrain" when it rolled over on a muddy dirt path, the military said. Two other soldiers who were inside the vehicle were unhurt.

Also killed Sunday in the LAV III rollover was Cpl. Eric Labbé. The incident occurred around 6:30 p.m. Kandahar time in Nalgham, in the Zhari district, 40 kilometres southwest of Kandahar city.
(Cpl. Marc-Andre Gaudreault/DND)

The incident was unrelated to enemy fire, occurring as the troops were returning from a clearance operation in the area, the CBC's James Cudmore reported from Kandahar.

"Their day had ended," he said.

Massouh was a career soldier who served in the Canadian Forces for more than 17 years, including in several overseas missions. Before joining the Afghan mission earlier this summer, Massouh had previously been deployed to Haiti, Croatia, Somalia and twice more to the former Yugoslavia, the Canadian Press reported.

Labbé served alongside Massouh during a 2002 rotation in the former Yugoslavia. It was the Rimouski native's only other overseas posting during a six-year career with the military.

In a statement released Monday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper expressed his condolences to the soldiers' families and paid tribute to their important contributions to the Afghan mission.

"The loss of these two dedicated Canadians, whose hard work contributed to bring peace and stability to this war-torn country, will not be forgotten," he said. "They deserve the gratitude of all Canadians for their commitment and the work they performed on our behalf."

At least 2 previous rollover incidents

The military said an investigation of the incident is underway.

Some have criticized the LAV III for being too top-heavy and prone to tipping over, Cudmore said. Three other Canadian soldiers have died in two previous rollover incidents in 2005 and 2006.

But the vehicles are also credited for providing superior protection from improvised explosive devices that are a common threat in the Afghan mission.

But Brig.-Gen Guy Laroche defended the vehicles and said the rollover was a tragic accident.

"With the rain that we had here the past day, the terrain was very difficult," Laroche said. "There's no issue with the vehicle as such."

These latest casualties bring the number of Canadians killed in Afghanistan to 76 soldiers and one diplomat since the mission began in 2002.

With files from the Canadian Press