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Old 13-06-06, 05:23
John McGillivray's Avatar
John McGillivray John McGillivray is offline
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: Quebec
Posts: 1,089
Default Afghan battle

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
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  #2  
Old 07-07-06, 21:27
Alex Blair (RIP) Alex Blair (RIP) is offline
"Mr. Manual", sadly no longer with us
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Ottawa ,Canada
Posts: 2,916
Default Fall Deployment...'07..so we'll be there for a while...

New Commander at 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group
VALCARTIER GARRISON, July 7 /CNW Telbec/ - Colonel Guy Laroche succeeds
today to Colonel Marquis as Commander 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group
(5 CMBG). The change of command has been made official this afternoon during a
ceremonial parade that took place at the Valcartier Garrison.
Colonel Hainse officially handed over his powers in the presence of
Brigadier-General Christian Barabé, Commander Land Force Quebec Area. Colonel
Hainse has commanded 5 CMBG since 2 September 2004 and will be serving as
Chief of Staff of Canada Command at the National Defence Headquarters (NDHQ),
in Ottawa. As for Colonel Laroche, he is arriving from NDHQ where he has
served as Senior Operations Officer of Canadian Expeditionary Forces Command.
5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group is the largest operational formation
in Quebec and the only francophone brigade in Canada. 5 CMBG is made up of 10
units, of witch 3 offer operational support, with over 3,300 troops and
approximately 2,000 vehicles of all sorts.
Recent years have been very busy for the men and women of 5 CMBG,
especially on the international scene. Lets recall their participation in the
International Security Assistance Force in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 2004. It
will also be the case in 2007, when the soldiers of Valcartier will deploy
once again to Afghanistan, this time in Kandahar, in autumn.
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  #3  
Old 10-07-06, 00:39
Alex Blair (RIP) Alex Blair (RIP) is offline
"Mr. Manual", sadly no longer with us
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Ottawa ,Canada
Posts: 2,916
Default RIP....

John Cotter, Canadian Press
Published: Sunday, July 09, 2006 Article tools
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Font: * * * * KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (CP) - A Canadian soldier was killed and two others were wounded Sunday in a brutal firefight as coalition troops called in air strikes and heavy artillery to blast Taliban strongholds west of Kandahar City.

Cpl. Anthony Joseph Boneca, 21, a reservist from the Lake Superior Scottish Regiment based in Thunder Bay, Ont., died Sunday morning, the 17th Canadian soldier to be killed in Afghanistan, military officials said.

Boneca, fighting as part of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry battle group, was killed as troops mounted aggressive patrols near the village of Pashmol, an area that has been a hotbed of Taliban activity over the past few months.

"There has been lots of contact. But unfortunately we have suffered the tragic loss of Cpl. Boneca," said Brig.-Gen. David Fraser, the Canadian commander on the multinational brigade in Kandahar.

"We really do have to admire his professionalism and his heroic efforts to help out people less fortunate than ours. Our hearts and prayers go out to his family and friends."

A member of the slain soldier's family contacted at his parent's house in Thunder Bay said Boneca had been in the reserves for about four years, having joined immediately after high school.

He wasn't married but had a "very lovely girlfriend" whom he had been seeing for well over a year, said Elizabeth Babe, 63, an aunt.

Boneca, who started out in the militia, had previously done tours that included guard duty in the United Arab Emirates that included a couple of trips to Kabul before he arrived in southern Afghanistan in February, she said.

"He was always interested in the army," Babe added. "He just came home from one tour, worked a bit around, and signed up for the second tour.

"He's just the most wonderful boy. Very loyal, very strong, very intelligent, and thrilled to be part of the services. A real angel of a person."

Statements of condolence were immediately issued by Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean and Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

"Our prayers are with the loved ones of Cpl. Boneca in these difficult times and we stand proudly as a nation knowing that his sacrifice was not in vain; that he laid down his life for the safety of citizens in both Canada and Afghanistan," Harper said.

Jean said Boneca's death "serves as a further reminder of the dangers faced by our Canadian Forces every day in Afghanistan and also of the steadfastness of our members who each day try to make that country a better place to live.

"Today, we honour his memory as a hero who fought for what he believed in," she said.

A few hours after Boneca was hit, two other Canadian soldiers were wounded in action in the battle. Both were flown by helicopter to hospital at the international coalition base.

Their injuries were described as non-life threatening. Two other Canadians were wounded Saturday, one seriously, in a firefight in the same general area. None of their names have been released.


Canadian soldier based in Thunder Bay, Ont., killed in Afghanistan firefight John Cotter, Canadian Press
Published: Sunday, July 09, 2006 Article tools
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Font: * * * * Troops of the battle group and the Afghan National Army slowly combed through the region of mud-hut villages and lush fields of grapes, marijuana and other crops in search of the insurgents.

Infantry and armoured vehicles soon made contact with the Taliban, sparking the firefight. Eventually the coalition called in air strikes and artillery support.

U.S. Apache assault helicopters buzzed over the area like angry dragonflies, smashing targets. A-10 Warthog jets roared in dropping bombs. A battery of Canadian heavy guns pounded the insurgents with shells.

Word of Boneca's death spread quickly among the troops back at the international coalition base.

Master Cpl. Will Emsle, a fellow reservist who trained with Boneca, said the reality of losing his friend hadn't completely sunk in yet.

"I was surprised. I was really shocked," said Emsle, who is from Calgary. "He was a real joker. He loved to joke around. He was a good guy."

No soldier ever imagines they will get hurt, let alone die, he said.

"You just don't think about it to be honest with you. You can't think about it. But it is in the back of your mind when you go out there. It is just the line of work we do and these are the risks."

That ongoing threat of danger was driven home Sunday evening when the coalition base was hit by a 107-millimetre rocket that lightly wounded two coalition soldiers.

A Canadian flag was lowered to half-mast at a small memorial that commemorates soldiers who have died in Afghanistan.

The Pashmol area has been a major gathering point for Taliban, who have been ambushing convoys and attacking Afghan National Police outposts.

Canadian troops have defeated the insurgents in every major engagement in the region since May. But when coalition activity subsides, the Taliban regroup and become more active again.

Fraser said Boneca's death will not have any impact on the joint Canadian-Afghan operation to sweep the region of Taliban.

"We are going to carry on operations as they are," the general said. "We are not pulling back at all, we are leaning into this. We are going to push right through for as long as it takes."

Coalition troops are to assemble for a ceremony Monday morning at Kandahar airfield to pay tribute to Boneca, the 17th Canadian soldier to die in Afghanistan.

His flag-draped coffin is to be loaded onto an air transport for the flight back to Canada.

© The Canadian Press 2006
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