Soldiers from Canada's elite troop unit the Joint task Force (JTF-2) will be heading to Afghanistan to join the fight against al Qaida remnants, the Canadian Television reported Friday.

The announcement was made Thursday by Rick Hillier, the country's Chief of Defence Staff and reaffirmed on Friday by Prime Minister Paul Martin, who vowed not to let the terrorists win in the wake of the deadly bombings in London earlier this month.

It was the first time Hillier had confirmed that members of JTF-2 -- Canada's elite and secretive commando unit -- will be involved in combat missions against al Qaida supporters and remnants of the former Taliban regime.

The commandos will be part of about 2,000 Canadian soldiers who will be deployed in Kandahar by February in missions to hunt down militants.

Canada sent 2,000 troops to Kabul after the US-led war on Afghanistan in 2003. Military officials say their efforts to provide security while aiding reconstruction projects have been successful, although three soldiers have been killed in the line of duty.

Source: Xinhua