Canada has new commander in Afghanistan

Command of Canada's Task Force Kandahar is in new hands after a handover ceremony Thursday at the main NATO base in southern Afghanistan.

Brig.-Gen. Dean Milner will be the final commander of Canada's combat mission in the central Asian nation.

The Canadian Forces' combat role ends next July, and Milner said the next 10 months will be a defining time for the mission.

Milner will guide Canadian soldiers as they expand their presence in the Taliban stronghold of the Panjwaii district and will oversee Canada's combat withdrawal from Afghanistan next year.

He said he doesn't know what role Canadian soldiers will have in Kandahar or Afghanistan after July 2011 that's a political decision but there is much to be done until then.

Milner took command from Brig.-Gen. Jonathan Vance, who completed his second tour at the head of the mission.