# Canada takes charge north of Kandahar city



## Nfld Sapper (1 Dec 2009)

Canada takes charge north of Kandahar city
Taliban attacks intensifying in district
Last Updated: Tuesday, December 1, 2009 | 10:43 AM ET 
CBC News  







A Canadian soldier stands on alert at a roadside checkpoint in Arghandab district on Tuesday. (Allauddin Khan/Associated Press)

NATO commanders in Afghanistan have put Canada in charge of a district north of Kandahar city that has seen heavy fighting in the past two years.

Brig.-Gen. Frederick Hodges, director of operations for NATO's southern command, said Canada would take control of the Arghandab district.

It's not clear whether the change means a new role for Canada's forces, most of whom are currently stationed in and around Kandahar city.

The fertile Arghandab region has seen an increase in fighting as Taliban-led militants have made efforts to move into the area. NATO forces, including Canadian troops, launched an offensive in June of last year to counter Taliban gains.

The shift comes as U.S. President Barack Obama is set to announce a new strategy in Afghanistan on Tuesday evening. He is expected to commit thousands of American troops to the NATO effort to secure the southern part of the country.

More U.S. troops expected
Hodges said Task Force Kandahar will have an additional American battalion and an Afghan national army unit by the new year. He said the changes would come regardless of whether Obama decides to deploy additional troops.

NATO spokesperson James Appathurai said a number of countries, such as Slovakia and Italy, have announced increases in recent weeks, and on Monday British Prime Minister Gordon Brown committed 500 more troops to the region.

NATO is planning to use Obama's announcement to spur other countries to make further troop commitments, said Appathurai.

"What we want to see from NATO headquarters is for all of the allies to see what more they can do," he said.

Appathurai added that Canada's performance in Afghanistan is considered "A-1" by the NATO alliance.

There are 2,800 Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan, primarily in Kandahar province. The government has said all Canadian troops will be withdrawn in 2011.


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## vonGarvin (1 Dec 2009)

Not being privy to the current footprint over there, I wonder how this will affect the recent efforts south of the city in E. Panjwayi, Dand, etc.


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## The Bread Guy (14 Jun 2010)

Reviving necrothread with the latest machinations from the Canadian Press:


> The influx of thousands of fresh U.S. troops into Kandahar is prompting a major reorganization of NATO's southern command in Afghanistan this summer, The Canadian Press has learned.
> 
> The biggest change is expected to see Canada give up authority for Kandahar city and be reduced to commanding a brigade-sized unit south and west of the provincial capital. It's another sign of Canada's shrinking role in the Afghan province that it has defended for four years.
> 
> ...


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