2 Canadians shot in massive Afghan battle
Last Updated Mon, 12 Jun 2006 18:06:06 EDT
Two Canadian soldiers have been seriously injured in a firefight involving hundreds of Taliban militants, one of the biggest battles since coalition troops arrived in Afghanistan.
The soldiers, who have not been named publicly, are in serious condition after having surgery at a hospital at the main Canadian military base in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar, Canadian Forces Lt. Mark MacIntyre said on Monday.
He didn't provide any further details on their injuries or how they were sustained, saying only that they were related to combat and involved small-arms fire.
800 Taliban gathered in village
The soldiers had been taking part in one of the largest gun battles since international troops arrived in Afghanistan in 2002, CBC correspondent David Common reported from Kandahar.
The operation, which was taking place in the Panjwai region west of Kandahar, started Sunday night after coalition forces learned that up to 800 Taliban fighters were gathering in a village. Soldiers from the Edmonton-based Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry were involved.
Reports from the battle suggest members of the Taliban hid behind the village's mud walls and trenches to attack the coalition troops.
About 2,300 Canadians are serving with the coalition in Afghanistan.
Canadians push into Taliban strongholds
In separate battles around the country on Monday, about three dozen Taliban fighters were killed by Afghan and coalition troops, said Afghan officials.
One of those killed was reportedly Mullah Amanullah, the brother-in-law of Taliban leader Mullah Omar. He reportedly died while fighting in a village in southern Uruzgan province.
MacIntyre said Canadian forces are increasingly moving into known Taliban strongholds. On Saturday, soldiers opened up Forward Operating Base Martello, a new base 200 kilometres north of Kandahar.
"We are going into the backyard of the Taliban," he said.
Some of these regions haven't seen a coalition presence in years, said MacIntyre.
The Panjwai region where the Canadians were fighting has been the scene of a number of intense battles with the Taliban, including the firefight that took the life of Capt. Nichola Goddard on May 17. Sixteen Canadian soldiers and one diplomat have died since the mission started.
MPs recently voted to extend Canada's mission in the country by two years until 2009.
http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/nation...ghanistan.html