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Kandahar IEDs less effective despite increased use: Canadian military
Last Updated: Thursday, January 15, 2009 | 2:07 PM ET Comments2Recommend5CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/01/15/explosive-devices.html
While the number of improvised explosive devices found on the roads of Kandahar has doubled in Afghanistan over the past year, casualty figures have fallen, Canadian military officials say.
"The few years prior to 2008, we were encountering fairly simplistic IEDs, but as our drills and our equipment improved, those attacks became less and less successful," said Capt. Roy Ulrich, second-in-command of Task Force Kandahar's anti-bomb squad.
Ulrich said the squad is becoming much more effective at neutralizing and finding IEDs. As well, he said, Afghans are more willing to provide information about hidden bombs, and the Afghan police and soldiers have become more efficient at locating them.
However, Ulrich said, the bombs are far more sophisticated than in years past.
"It's kind of a back-and-forth battle for us," he said. "They adapt to our tactics, we adapt to their tactics and so they've been forced to really elevate their game in order to effectively target us."
In 2008, about 355 IEDs were discovered, compared with about 170 in 2007. Of those, 180 exploded in 2008, up from 65 in 2007.
Four per cent of the roadside bombs caused injury and death in 2008, compared with seven per cent in 2007.
Ulrich said the numbers reveal that insurgents have launched a major push to use these weapons as a prime means for attacking NATO forces.
Last Updated: Thursday, January 15, 2009 | 2:07 PM ET Comments2Recommend5CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/01/15/explosive-devices.html
While the number of improvised explosive devices found on the roads of Kandahar has doubled in Afghanistan over the past year, casualty figures have fallen, Canadian military officials say.
"The few years prior to 2008, we were encountering fairly simplistic IEDs, but as our drills and our equipment improved, those attacks became less and less successful," said Capt. Roy Ulrich, second-in-command of Task Force Kandahar's anti-bomb squad.
Ulrich said the squad is becoming much more effective at neutralizing and finding IEDs. As well, he said, Afghans are more willing to provide information about hidden bombs, and the Afghan police and soldiers have become more efficient at locating them.
However, Ulrich said, the bombs are far more sophisticated than in years past.
"It's kind of a back-and-forth battle for us," he said. "They adapt to our tactics, we adapt to their tactics and so they've been forced to really elevate their game in order to effectively target us."
In 2008, about 355 IEDs were discovered, compared with about 170 in 2007. Of those, 180 exploded in 2008, up from 65 in 2007.
Four per cent of the roadside bombs caused injury and death in 2008, compared with seven per cent in 2007.
Ulrich said the numbers reveal that insurgents have launched a major push to use these weapons as a prime means for attacking NATO forces.
