OTTAWA — A Canadian soldier who died of natural causes while on leave from deployment in Afghanistan was listed Friday as a casualty of war.
Captain Francis Cecil Paul died in February during a trip back to Canada.
“Although his death came suddenly while on leave from his deployment in Afghanistan, he was still on duty and considered part of the mission,” Canada’s Chief of the Defense Staff General Walter Natynczyk said in a statement.
“And therefore his death is no less important than any other Canadian Forces member who served and died while in Afghanistan,” he said, explaining why the soldier’s name was added to a list of fallen.
Paul’s death brings the number of Canadian casualties linked to the conflict to 153.
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