Secretary of State John Kerry is heading to Ottawa on Tuesday to offer condolences following the deaths last week of two Canadian soldiers in terror attacks.
“The secretary will emphasize steadfast U.S. support for our Canadian partners, continued close cooperation in our shared approach to countering violent extremism, and our commitment to stand beside our Canadian neighbors and friends,” spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement.
{mosads}The visit will “express America’s solidarity with the Canadian people, reaffirming the close friendship and alliance between our countries,” she added.
In the first attack, a Canadian soldier was intentionally run over by a suspected jihadist. In the second unrelated attack, a gunman shot and killed a soldier standing guard at Canada’s National War Memorial. The gunman entered the parliament building and exchanged fire with security officials before being killed.
The attacks come as the U.S., Canada and other partners intensify their military campaign against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.
In an address to the nation, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper reaffirmed his country’s commitment to the U.S.-led campaign against Islamic militants, saying “Canada will never be intimidated.”
President Obama spoke with Harper by phone on Wednesday to offer support.
“We’re all shaken by it,” the president said later.
In a statement, Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said he was “grateful” that Kerry would visit Ottawa and “stand by Canadians” as the nation mourns the loss of its soldiers.
He said Washington and Ottawa could continue to “cooperate closely on a range of issues, from combating the threat of [ISIS] to standing with the Ukrainian people as they seek a future that embraces freedom and democracy.”
The pair will discuss how to “strengthen our bilateral relationship, focusing on domestic security, on promoting legitimate trade and travel between our two countries, and on further cooperation on North American energy security,” according to Baird.