The fallen soldiers are now on a plane bound for home. About 800 of their Canadian comrades as well as 100 forces from other countries bade farewell to the men during a solemn ceremony at Kandahar Airfield. The plane is expected to land at CFB Trenton late Wednesday.

Canadian Forces launched a huge anti-Taliban mission dubbed Operation Medusa in the dangerous district of Panjwaii Sunday. Four soldiers were killed in ground clashes that day, including Sgt. Shane Stachnik, Warrant Officer Frank Mellish, and Warrant Officer Richard Nolan, all based at CFB Petawawa. The identity of the fourth soldier hasn't been released, at the request of his family.

A fifth soldier, Private Mark Graham from Hamilton, died in a friendly fire incident on Monday. Canadian troops came under attack from two American A-10 Thunderbolts during a strafing run - Graham, a former Canadian Olympian, was killed and 30 others were hurt.

Graham was also based at Petawawa.

The five deaths are the most sustained by Canada in the span of 24 hours since troops were first stationed there in 2002. Since that time, 32 Canadian soldiers and one Canadian diplomat have been killed.

Lieut. Grant McDonald, a platoon commander, said the warrant officers' deaths would be particularly hard for the troops to take.

"The warrant officer is basically like a grandfather to the platoon," he noted. "He provides advice and lot of stability to the platoon and he's someone who the troops look towards as a strong leader."

McDonald said he and his troops were looking forward to getting back into action following the deadly weekend.

"No one wants to sit and wait for anything," he said. "We'd rather get out there and take the fight to the enemy and give them our two cents"

Five more Canadian soldiers were injured in fighting with Taliban insurgents Tuesday when a mortar shell landed near their light armoured vehicle. None of their injuries were considered life threatening.

Since 2002, one Canadian diplomat and 32 Canadian soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan. Here is a list of the deaths:

2006

Sept. 4 -- Private Mark Graham killed when NATO aircraft accidentally strafe Canadian soldiers in the Panjwaii district. About 30 others wounded, five seriously.

Sept. 3 -- Warrant officers Frank Robert Mellish and Richard Francis Nolan, Sgt. Shane Stachnik, and one other whose name was withheld at his family's request, killed in battle in Panjwaii district.

Aug. 22 -- Cpl. David Braun, who was based at Shilo, Man., killed in a suicide bomb attack in Kandahar City.

Aug. 11 -- Cpl. Andrew Eykelenboom, 23, of Comox, B.C., stationed with 1st Field Ambulance, based in Edmonton, killed in suicide attack.

Aug. 9 -- Master Cpl. Jeffrey Walsh, 33, of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, based in Shilo, Man., killed by apparent accidental discharge of rifle.

Aug. 5 -- Master Cpl. Raymond Arndt, 31, of Loyal Edmonton Regiment, killed when large truck collided head-on with his G-Wagon patrol vehicle.

Aug. 3 -- Cpl. Christopher Reid, 34, of 1st Battalion of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, based in Edmonton, killed by roadside bomb. Three other members of same battalion killed in rocket-propelled grenade attack by Taliban forces west of Kandahar: Sgt. Vaughan Ingram, 35, Cpl. Bryce Keller, 27, and Pte. Kevin Dallaire, 22.

July 22 -- Cpl. Francisco Gomez, 44, of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, based in Edmonton, and Cpl. Jason Warren, 29, of Black Watch, Royal Highland Regiment of Canada, based in Montreal, killed when car packed with explosives rammed their armoured vehicle.

July 9 -- Cpl. Anthony Boneca, 21, reservist from Lake Superior Scottish Regiment based in Thunder Bay, Ont., killed in firefight.

May 17 -- Capt. Nichola Goddard, artillery officer based in Shilo, Man., with 1st Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, killed in Taliban ambush during battle in Panjwaii region. She was first Canadian woman to be killed in action while serving in combat role.

April 22 -- Cpl. Matthew Dinning of Richmond Hill, Ont., stationed with 2nd Canadian Mechanized Brigade in Petawawa, Ont., Bombardier Myles Mansell of Victoria, Lieut. William Turner of Toronto, stationed in Edmonton, and Cpl. Randy Payne, born in Lahr, Germany, stationed at CFB Wainright, Alta., all killed when their G-Wagon destroyed by roadside bomb near Gumbad.

March 29 -- Pte. Robert Costall of Edmonton, machine-gunner, killed in firefight with Taliban insurgents in Sangin district of Helmand province.

March 2 -- Cpl. Paul Davis of Bridgewater, N.S., and Master Cpl. Timothy Wilson of Grande Prairie, Alta., killed when their armoured vehicle ran off road in Kandahar area.

Jan. 15 -- Glyn Berry, British-born Canadian diplomat who had served with Foreign Affairs Department since 1977, killed in suicide bombing near Kandahar.

2005

Nov. 24 -- Pte. Braun Woodfield, born in Victoria and raised in Eastern Passage, N.S., killed when his armoured vehicle rolled over near Kandahar.

2004

Jan. 27 -- Cpl. Jamie Murphy, 26, of Conception Harbour, Nfld., killed in suicide bombing while on patrol near Kabul.

2003

Oct. 2 -- Sgt. Robert Short, 42, of Fredericton, and Cpl. Robbie Beerenfenger, 29, of Ottawa, killed in roadside bombing southwest of Kabul.

2002

April 17 -- Sgt. Marc Leger, 29, of Lancaster, Ont., Cpl. Ainsworth Dyer, 24, of Montreal, Pte. Richard Green, 21, of Mill Cove, N.S., and Pte. Nathan Smith, 27, of Tatamagouche, N.S., all killed when U.S. F-16 fighter mistakenly bombed Canadians on pre-dawn training exercise. Eight other Canadians wounded in friendly-fire incident.