国际英语新闻:Canada condemns U.S. killing of 16 Afghan civilians

OTTAWA, March 11 (Xinhua) -- The killing of the Afghan civilians by a U.S. soldier was "deplorable and runs contrary to everything that the international mission aims to accomplish," Canada's Defense Minister Peter MacKay said in a statement on Sunday.

Mackay expressed his condolences to the families of the 16 Afghan civilians, including women and children.

Talking about Canada's role in Afghanistan, Mackay said that the ongoing training mission the Canadian Forces is taking part in is meant to build a stable, more secure future for Afghanistan.

"That work will not be deterred by a random and cowardly act of violence," he said.

There are about 920 Canadian military advisers still in Afghanistan since the Canadian combat mission ended last summer.

The incident, in which at least 16 civilians were killed by a U. S. soldier who walked out from his military base on Sunday morning and opened fire on villagers in the southern province of Kandahar, came as relations between Washington and Kabul have been strained over the burning of copies of Quran by U.S. troops last month.