Canadian troops will take lead in Panjwaii offensive: General
By Ethan Baron, Canwest News Service May 5, 2010
KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan — Despite a massive U.S. troop buildup in southern Afghanistan, Canada will take the lead in securing the Taliban stronghold in western Panjwaii district, according to the commander of all Canadian troops overseas.
"Definitely Canada will have the major role in that area," Lt.-Gen. Marc Lessard said during a visit to the region. "The Canadian troops are there."
Canadian soldiers in western Panjwaii operate primarily out of two heavily fortified bases, Masum Ghar and Sperwan Ghar.
Lessard's comments came as 1,500 Canadian and allied troops gathered on the tarmac at Kandahar Airfield to honour Petty Officer 2nd Class Craig Blake, killed Monday by a Taliban bomb.
Although NATO's offensive planned to kick off this summer will involve "massive, massive activities," it will focus not just on security operations but on building governance, Lessard said, and while Canadians will undertake combat missions, their main priority will be applying the same tactics they've been using to secure a village area to the east.
"Think about the slow, painstaking tactical activities occurring right now in eastern Panjwaii — Nakhonay — where you have outposts close to the population, you're doing patrolling, you're talking to the elders, you're trying to find out who's pro-(Afghan government), who's a fence sitter, and who's pro-Taliban, and why," Lessard said.
"Will there be tactical encounters? Of course there will be. But it is not a major operation, in fact (that's) the opposite of what we want to do."
The goal for Canada in the offensive will be to turn "fence-sitters" into government supporters, and turn Taliban supporters "at least" into fence-sitters, Lessard said.
As preparations continue, provincial Gov. Tooryalai Wesa insists the offensive will only go ahead only if the province's people wanted it, repeating a statement to Canwest News Service made last month and adding that in any case "it is not a military operation."
Early last month, tribal elders reported that villagers were already fleeing from rural areas into the city in anticipation of violence during the offensive, and that city residents were living in fear with nowhere else to go.
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