Canada in Afghanistan

[John McGillivray]

It is indeed sad to hear about the lost of the British personnel. The aircraft was supporting the latest NATO offensive (Operation Medusa) in the Panjwai region. There are about one thousand Canadian troops taking part in this Operation. The Canadians have being heavily engaged there since July. The Soviets were never ever to get control of the Panjwai, and it is here that the Soviets suffered their final defeat of their War. The Canadians have taken on the hardest nut in Afghanistan.

Cdn. troops launch offensive into Taliban hotbed
Updated Sat. Sep. 2 2006 11:30 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Canadian troops suffered no casualties as they swept into a Taliban hotbed west of Kandahar on Saturday, but a nearby plane crash killed 14 British soldiers.
Canadian combat units, along with other NATO and Afghan forces, have launched a major offensive against insurgents in the violent Panjwai district. The mission is dubbed Operation Medusa.
"It's in an area where Canadian troops have taken casualties," said CTV's Matt McClure on Saturday from Kandahar, ". . . and where they've also been involved in heavy battles trying to take this territory early this year."
Canadian battle group commander, Col. Omer Lavoie, told CTV News that his soldiers have gained the upper hand against the militants despite meeting some resistance.
"We were ambushed en route about four o'clock in the morning. But my platoon . . . dealt with the ambush, engaged and destroyed the enemy, and for the rest of it we moved in here with no resistance," said Lavoie.
"We certainly own the dominating ground now in Panjwai district."
Pro-government forces then proceeded to move into the district, backed by artillery and air support as they prepared to move across the Arghandab River into Pashmul area -- known as the heart of the Taliban stronghold.
The commander of the Canadian contingent said fierce fighting is expected with Taliban guerrillas in this latest mission.
"I think we're talking in the neighbourhood of hundreds" of fighters, said Col. Fred Lewis. "Certainly not thousands, not tens. Might they just fade away? If they're smart, they will."
At least six Canadians have died and 32 were wounded in dozens of bomb attacks, ambushes and pitched battles in the area, according to reports compiled by The Canadian Press.
The area was the scene of a major operation at the start of the summer, known as the Battle of Panjwai.
Commanders then claimed to have broken the back of the insurgency there, but coalition troops withdrew and the Taliban took over again.
Brigadier General David Fraser said this time it's going to be different, and that that they're going to hold this area.
"I don't have any worries as we move forward," said Fraser. "We've got all the resources we need right here. We've got close air support, we've got intelligence, we've got artillery and lots of firepower here. The enemy's got more worries than we do."
He also had strong words for the Taliban.
"You've got three choices," he said. "You can either support the government of Afghanistan or you can leave, or we'll give you the third option."
NATO plane crash
Meanwhile, officials said a NATO aircraft crashed about 15 kilometres west of Kandahar city on Saturday, killing 14 British troops.
The British Defence Ministry said the dead included 12 Royal Air Force personnel, a Royal Marine and an army soldier.
The "aircraft was supporting a NATO mission. It went off the radar and crashed in an open area in Kandahar," said Maj. Scott Lundy, spokesperson for the International Security Assistance Force.
The plane was a Nimrod MR2, capable of carrying a maximum of 25 people with a crew of 12. The aircraft is used for reconnaissance missions.
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said in a statement the plane had declared a technical problem before it went down.
"Enemy action has been discounted at this stage," the ISAF statement said.
Shortly after the crash, Abdul Khaliq, a purported spokesperson for the Taliban, had claimed insurgents managed to shoot down the plane with a Stinger missile.
A witness in Chalaghor, about 19 kilometres west of Kandahar city, told The Associated press he saw a fire at the back of the plane before it struck the ground.
He added that the impact's explosion "shook the whole village."
With reports from CTV's Matt McClure and The Canadian Press in Kandahar, Afghanistan

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It's very sad to read that 4 Canadian soldiers were killed and many others injured in that operation today. So many losses happening, for everyone.

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Karmen.

[John McGillivray]

This time from blue on blue fire from an A-10.

Canadian killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan
Updated Mon. Sep. 4 2006 7:47 AM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
A Canadian soldier was killed during a friendly fire mishap in Afghanistan on Monday when a NATO warplane accidentally strafed troops.
The death comes just one day after another four Canadian soldiers were killed and six wounded during a major NATO offensive in the volatile Panjwai district of southern Afghanistan.
The friendly fire mishap occurred around 5:30 a.m. when an A-10 Warthog was called in to support soldiers trying to seize a Taliban stronghold along the Arghandab River.
"Canadian troops were very close to enemy lines, air support had been called in and this A-10 Warthog came roaring in. Instead of hitting the Taliban positions, it hit the Canadians very heavily," CTV's Matt McClure reported on Newsnet from Afghanistan.
"We'd told that dozens of others were injured, including these five who are going to be evacuated. Most of the soldiers received light injuries, however, and are expected to return to duty."
The injured troops were evacuated by helicopter, including a giant twin-rotor Chinook.
"It was a scene of absolute chaos this morning at the airport near the hospital. We were there as helicopter after helicopter ferried in the wounded," McClure said.
The identity of the soldier killed in the friendly fire incident was not released.
"This has been a tough hit, but Canadians are continuing the fight and continuing with operation Medusa," Brig.-Gen. David Fraser, the Canadian in charge of NATO forces in southern Afghanistan, said in a statement released Monday.
Fraser told reporters that an investigation has been launched.
"We do have procedures, we do have communications, we do have training and tactics and techniques and procedures to mitigate the risk but we can't reduce those risks to zero,'' he said in a news conference at Kandahar Airfield.
"The Canadian forces and the rest of armed forces of the world and the international community wouldn't be here if it wasn't dangerous.''
NATO said in a statement that the incident occurred after ground troops called for air support.
"Two ISAF (NATO's International Security Assistance Force) aircraft provided the support but regrettably engaged friendly forces during a strafing run, using cannons," the statement said.
Monday's friendly fire incident was the second similar incident since Canadians began operations in Afghanistan more than four years ago.
Four soldiers were killed and eight others wounded in April 2002 when an American F-16 fighter mistakenly bombed Canadians on pre-dawn training exercise.
The recent casualties came as NATO forces launched Operation Medusa, a mission aimed at purging militants from the Taliban stronghold of the Panjwai district west of Kandahar.
Canadian troops met fierce resistance from Taliban fighters early Sunday in fighting that killed four Canadian and wounded six others.
The deaths occurred when the Canadians moved in with light armoured vehicles after NATO forces had pounded enemy positions for more than 24 hours with helicopter gunships, artillery and bombs.
Taliban insurgents put up a stiff fight, using small arms and rocket propelled grenades to defend their positions.
Two of the dead were identified as Warrant Officer Frank Mellish and Warrant Officer Richard Nolan, both of 1st Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment, based at CFB Petawawa.
The names of the other two soldiers killed have not been released at the request of their families.
Despite the casualties, NATO officials are maintaining that the offensive has been a success, estimating that 200 Taliban militants had been killed and 80 seized.
The latest fatalities came as NDP Leader Jack Layton repeated his call for ending the Afghanistan mission in February 2007.
"Young people have stepped forward to put their lives on the line, fulfilling a mission that they were asked to fulfill," Layton told reporters in Toronto.
"What we as Canadians need to do is consider whether this is indeed the right mission for Canada going forward. Our view is that it is the wrong mission."
Prime Minister Stephen Harper did not address the possibility of a troop withdrawal in a statement on Sunday, in which he offered his condolences to the friends and families of those killed.
"We are proud of these soldiers' contribution to bring stability and hope to the people of Afghanistan," said Harper.
"These soldiers lost their lives in the service of their country. Canada is grateful for that service, and saddened by this loss."
In total, 32 Canadian soldiers and one diplomat have been killed in Afghanistan since 2002.
With files from The Canadian Press

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