Troops in Afghanistan braced for security threats
BY TERRY WEBER
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2005 UPDATED AT 12:58 PM EDT
GLOBE AND MAIL UPDATE
A Canadian patrol in Afghanistan was the target of a shadowing mission believed to a dress rehearsal for a suicide attack earlier this month and commanders stationed in the country said Wednesday they expect further threats as the September elections approach.
Updating reporters on Canada's operations in the country, Lieutenant-Colonel Steve Borland said troops now stationed in Kandahar have become aware of security threats, which he described as varied, extreme and dangerous.
"We do know that we are watched," he said during media briefing.
Canada's Task Force Afghanistan includes two missions in that country as it moves toward a Sept. 16 election. The first, Operation Athena, involves about 700 Canadian Forces personnel in Kabul and another 200 at a support base in southwest Asia.
The second, Operation Archer, involves 250 personnel as part of the provincial reconstruction team in Kandahar.
In terms of specific threats, Lt.-Col. Borland said an incident arose on Aug. 19 in which Canadian personnel suspected they were being "templated" - essentially shadowed - in preparation for a suicide attack.
"It is quite common practice for them to try to template you to learn your procedures," he said.
"There was an incident where a motorcycle and a van came too close to an armoured Canadian vehicle. The approaching vehicles were driving erratically and ignored demands that they fall back, he said.
After trying to wave the van - which was carrying two people - off, the Canadian gunner was forced to shoot at the approaching vehicle's engine to disable the vehicle.
"It basically dispelled the whole action and that was the end of the incident," he said.
There were no injuries.
Both Lt.-Col. Borland and Colonel Steve Noonan, commander of Task Force Afghanistan, also told reporters the actions taken in the situation were appropriate.
"This vehicle, because it was driving erratically, and because it did not heed any warnings or waving off that the gunner tried to do, the gunner was well within his rights," he said.
The situation took place during the Afghan Independence celebrations and Lt.-Col. Borland said troops were aware of the heightened risk of "this type of activities by these types of elements" in Kandahar.
The individuals involved were not detained. The situation was reported to local authorities.
"The bottom line is that we are convinced these two people were templating the patrol in question," Col. Noonan said. He said there were a "number of indicators" which gave that impression, but he didn't elaborate.
Both Col. Noonan and Lt.-Col. Borland said they expect further security threats as next month's elections near.
"We are expecting that," Lt.-Col. Borland said. "But in the face of that we are continuing our patrols with the Afghan National Police and keeping up the security sector reforms."
Col. Noonan said the forces main goal is to "prevent Afghanistan from lapsing again into a failed state where terrorists and terrorist organizations will find a safe haven."
"This will be achieved by providing stability and extending the power of the government of Afghanistan so that Afghanistan government authorities can continue to rebuild the country's infrastructure and economy," he said.
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