Canada in the War in Afghanistan

Following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 in the United States, Canada was the third largest contributor to the invasion of Afghanistan, after the United States and United Kingdom. Of the approximately 15,000 Canadian troops who have been stationed in Afghanistan, 2,500 remain as the standard complement.

In total, 26 Canadian soldiers and one diplomat have been killed in the mission - the second highest number of fatalities per nation in the Allied Force, behind the United States.

Background

In September 2001, after the September 11 terrorist attacks, Minister of National Defence Art Eggleton authorized more than 100 Canadian Forces members serving on military exchange programs in the US and other countries to participate in US operations in Afghanistan, aimed to identifying and neutralizing Al Qaeda members in that country, as well as toppling the Taliban regime which was claimed to be supporting international terrorism.

The Canadian government defines Canada's current Mission in Afghanistan as follows:

1. Defend our national interests;
2. Ensure Canadian leadership in world affairs; and
3. Help Afghanistan rebuild.

Missions

Although not participating in the opening days of the invasion, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien announced on October 7th that Canada would contribute forces to the international force being formed to conduct a campaign against terrorism. Gen. Ray Henault, the Chief of the Defence Staff issued preliminary orders to several CF units, as Operation Apollo was established. The Canadian commitment was originally planned to last to October 2003.

In March 2002, Canadian forces undertook Operation Harpoon as part of Operation Anaconda in the Shah-i-Kot Valley. Other forces in the country provided garrison and security troops; in April 2002 four soldiers were killed in the the Afghanistan friendly fire incident when a US aircraft dropped a bomb on a routine live-fire range exercise believing the Canadians to be enemy forces.

Operation Athena

In August 2003, Operation Athena began in Kabul as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), with a 1,900-strong Canadian task force providing assistance to civilian infrastructure such as well-digging and repair of local buildings.

In March 2004, Canada commited $250million in aid to Afghanistan, and $5 million to support the 2004 Afghan election.

On February 13, 2005 Defence Minister Bill Graham announced Canada was doubling the number of troops in Afghanistan by the coming summer, from 600 troops in Kabul to 1200.

Operation Athena ended following the national elections in December 2005 and the fulfilment of the stated aim of "rebuilding the democratic process" in Afghanistan.

Renewed Commitments - Operation Archer

Operation Archer followed Athena beginning in February 2006. By the spring of 2006, Canada had a major role in southern Afghanistan, with Task Force Afghanistan being a Battle Group of 2,000 soldiers based at Kandahar. Canada also commaned the Multi National Brigade for Command South, a main military force in the region. In May 2006, the Canadian government extended Canadian military commitments to Afghanistan by two years, replacing earlier plans to withdraw soldiers in 2006.

Additionally, Foreign Affairs Canada has stated that the commitment is more than just military, employing a "a whole of government approach" in which a "Provincial Reconstruction Team" (PRT), ustilizing personnel from Foreign Affairs, the Canadian International Development Agency and the RCMP, provides a dual role of security as well as reconstruction of the country and political structure.

In February 2006, a Canadian general took command of southern Afghanistan. On February 28th, command of transferred from U.S. General Karl Eikenberry to Canadian Brigadier General David Fraser in a ceremony at Kandahar Airfield.

Canadian contacts with enemy insurgents increased in 2006, with dozens of Taliban killed and a number of Canadian soldiers being killed and wounded in suicide attacks, and one bizarre attack by a teenaged Taliban fighter on March 4, 2006, who struck Captain Trevor Greene in the back of the head with an axe during a shura in Gumbad. Attacks on a US base on March 28, 2006 caused four Canadian casualties, including one dead. A month later on April 22, four more Canadians were killed by a roadside bomb, and a month after that an artillery officer was killed in an ambush while she was in the commander's hatch of a LAV. Further fatalities occured in July 2006 when three soldiers were killed in two separate incidents; a firefight in early July and suicide bombings late in the month.

On July 14, Canadian forces executed its first operational airdrop to resupply its soldiers since the Korean War.

Other missions

• Canada has assisted in the collection, storage and decommissioning of 10,000 heavy weapons left in Afghanistan including artillery, tanks and rocket launchers, used in decades of conflict in the country.
• Canada has helped clear about one third of the estimated 10 to 15 million mines in Afghanistan.
• Canada has loaned money to over 140,000 people in Afghanistan.
• Canada has helped train the Afghan police and army.

Fatalities

Canada has suffered 26 fatalities involving soldiers in Afganistan. A Canadian diplomat has also been killed. These fatalities include three to vehicular accidents and four to friendly fire.

Rank	Name	Unit	Date	Circumstance	References
Sergeant	Marc D. Leger	PPCLI	18 April, 2002	Main article: Afghanistan friendly fire incident Four soldiers are killed and eight wounded when an American F-16 fighter jet, piloted by U.S. Air National Guard Major Harry Schmidt, dropped a laser-guided 225-kilogram bomb on the Canadians who were on an exercise at Tarnak Farm, near Kandahar.	[1]
Corporal	Ainsworth Dyer
Private	Richard Green
Private	Nathan Smith
Sergeant	Robert Alan Short	3 RCR	2 October, 2003	Landmine incident along a road regularily used by Canadian patrols leaving Camp Julien. The mines are believed to have been placed along the road two hours before the patrol.	[2]
Corporal	Robbie Christopher Beerenfenger
Corporal	Jamie Brendan Murphy	RCR	27 January, 2004	Victim of a suicide bombing while on patrol in a Iltis jeep.	[3]
Private	Braun Scott Woodfield	2 RCR	24 November, 2005	Died in a LAV-III rollover on the main highway between Camp Julien and Kandahar.	[4]
Senior Foreign Affairs officer	Glyn Berry	civilian	15 January, 2006	Died in a suicide attack while being transported in an armoured G-wagon.	[5]
Master Corporal	Timothy Wilson	Unknown	March 2, 2006	Vehicular accident involving a LAV-III and a local taxi. Five others also injured.	[6]
Corporal	Paul Davis
Private	Robert Costall	1 PPCLI	29 March, 2006	Died while defending a coalition outpost outside Kandahar from Taliban insurgents, possibly by an American soldier.	[7] [8]
Corporal	Matthew Dinning	Unknown	22 April, 2006	All four died when their armoured jeep struck a improvised explosive device North of Kandahar.	[9] [10] [11]
Lieutenant	William Turner
Bombardier	Myles Mansell
Corporal	Randy Payne	Wainwright MP Det
Captain	Nichola Goddard	RCHA	17 May, 2006	Killed during operations against insurgents. Goddard was the first Canadian woman to die in combat since WWII.	[12] [13]
Corporal	Anthony Boneca	LSSR	9 July, 2006	Killed during combat operations against Taliban insurgents.	[14]
Corporal	Francisco Gomez	PPCLI	22 July, 2006	Two soldiers are killed, and eight wounded when their Bison armoured vehicle is attacked by a suicide bomber.	[15]
Corporal	Jason Patrick Warren	Black Watch
Corporal	Christopher Jonathan Reid	PPCLI	3 August, 2006	Killed by a roadside bomb while in an armoured vehicle.	[16]
Sergeant	Vaughn Ingram			All three soldiers killed, and nine wounded, during an an RPG attack by insurgents.
Corporal	Bryce Jeffrey Keller
Private	Kevin Dallaire
Master Corporal	Jeffrey Scott Walsh	PPCLI	9 August, 2006	Killed by the accidental discharge of a comrade's rifle while on patrol west of Kandahar. He had been in theater for less then a week.	[17] [18]
Corporal	Andrew James Eykelenboom	1 Fd Amb	11 August, 2006	Killed by a suicide bomber while on a NATO patrol in a G-Wagon light utility vehicle.	[19] [20]

Bases

• Camp Julien in Kabul
• Camp Mirage airbase
• Camp Nathan Smith

Diplomatic ties

On January 25, 2002 Canada officially re-established diplomatic relations with Afghanistan. This was followed by the opening of Canada's Embassy in Kabul in September 2003. Canada's current serving representative is Ambassador David Sproule.