Canadian soldiers stand guard near the site of an explosion in Kabul

KABUL, January 27 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - A Canadian soldier with the NATO-led peacekeeping force in Afghanistan was killed and three countrymen wounded on Tuesday, January 27, when a suicide bomber threw himself in front of their car in Kabul.

An Afghan civilian died of wounds from the attack near the Canadian base on the southern outskirts of Kabul. The bomber died in the blast and eight other Afghan civilians were wounded, two critically, police and hospital workers said according to Reuters.

"One Canadian soldier has been killed and three others wounded," said ISAF spokesman Colonel Joerg Langer.

The casualties were the first among the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) since two Canadian soldiers were killed in October 2003 when their car hit a mine on the outskirts of Kabul.

ISAF said the name of the soldier who was killed was being withheld until his next of kin had been informed. It did not give the condition of the wounded troops.

Bystander Ahmad Skekib said he saw the attacker throw himself in front of the Canadians' jeep as it was negotiating a speed bump.

"There was a big explosion, then flames and smoke. Then I saw five people lying in the car and on the road."

Peacekeepers and police cordoned off the scene, but part of the bomber's body could be seen lying on the road. In the distance was a badly burned Canadian military jeep with its windows blown out standing on a patch of blackened road.

A burned-out civilian vehicle was nearby.

Kabul's deputy police chief Khalil Aminzada said the Afghans hurt were pedestrians.

Canada has about 2,000 soldiers in the 5,700-strong multinational force, making it the largest contingent.

Tuesday's was the second attack on foreign peacekeepers in Kabul since their deployment after the overthrow of the Taliban regime by U.S.-led forces in 2001.

In June 2003, four German peacekeepers were killed and 31 wounded in a suicide car bombing in the capital.

Five Afghan security officials were killed in late December 2003 when a man they had detained blew himself up near the city's airport.

U.S. officials have blamed previous attacks on Taliban.

Afghanistan is awash with weapons after two decades of war. Explosives and munitions stores are often set off by power short circuits and other accidents.