Canadian soldiers would be welcome to stay on training local troops after their combat role ends in Afghanistan next year, Afghanistan's ambassador to Canada said Monday.
Jawed Ludin told Â鶹´«Ã½ Channel that with so many Canadians having given their lives for the freedom of Afghans, his country cannot ask them to make any further sacrifices.
But he said Afghan soldiers and police would appreciate and benefit from further training from the Canadians.
"Canada has done so much and Canadians have paid a cost that is sobering," said Ludin, pointing to the 148 Canadian soldiers who have died overseas in the past nine years.
"To expect that Canada should do more may sound a little immodest. However, I do believe Canadians have made a tremendous contribution and we would like Canada to stay."
While he said Canadians will decide what type of future involvement they want to have in Afghanistan, Ludin said the Canadian Forces have the capabilities to help make Afghan forces more self-sufficient in the future.
"Ultimately, we Afghans should be able to shoulder our own responsibilities," he said. "And for Canada to help us in that way would be extremely appreciated."
Ludin, a former chief-of-staff to Afghan President Hamid Karzai, is the latest figure to voice support for Canada taking on a non-combat role after it wraps up its military mission next year.
Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff, retired Canadian Forces major-general Lewis MacKenzie and various NATO officials are among those who have suggested Canada should take on a training role in Afghanistan after next year.
The Canadian government, however, is sticking to the agreement brokered in Parliament that will see Canadian Forces end their combat role in just over a year's time.
When Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Walter Natynczyk was asked recently about the possibility of providing such training services, he said the military would be abiding by the mandate given to it by Parliament.
