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One NATO soldier reported killed in Spin Boldak area.
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060712/afghanistan_edmonton_0600811/20060811?hub=TopStories
A good article but does anyone else see anything wrong with the article?
Cdn. soldier dead after bomb rocks Afghan convoy
Updated Fri. Aug. 11 2006 11:40 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
An unidentified Canadian soldier is dead after a suicide bomber drove his explosive-laden vehicle into a military convoy in southern Afghanistan on Friday.
The attack occurred around 3:30 p.m. local time on a re-supply convoy of Canadian troops near the Spin Boldak district of the southern Kandahar province, about a three-hour drive southeast of Kandahar, reported CTV's Matt McClure in Afghanistan.
"Witnesses at the scene say there was a giant blast, and in the aftermath a huge fire after a suicide bomber detonated as he passed by the convoy near a Canadian G-Wagon jeep," said McClure.
Two other soldiers in the convoy were not injured and managed to escape before the fire engulfed the vehicle. "But the third was consumed by the inferno," said McClure.
The name of the soldier who was killed is being temporarily withheld at the request of his family.
"We deeply regret the loss of a fine and dedicated soldier who died serving his country," Col. Tom Putt, deputy commander of Task Force Afghanistan, told reporters.
"Our sympathy goes out to his family in this time of grief."
There were also three Afghan civilians who were injured in the attack, although the details are not yet known.
Two planeloads of replacement troops, mainly from Manitoba and Ontario, touched down at Kandahar Air Field on Aug. 3. But McClure said it's believed the dead soldier was not among the new contingent of troops, and "had been here for some time."
The re-supply convoy was taking needed goods and maintenance materials to the forward operating base at Spin Boldak, which the Canadians maintain in order to keep a security presence near the Pakistani border.
"They were returning from that re-supply mission when the attack occurred," said McClure.
Purported Taliban spokesman Qari Yousaf Ahmadi claimed responsibility for the attack, saying the bomber was an Afghan by the name of Mohammad Ilyas.
Reuters news agency earlier reported a Taliban spokesman's claim that eight foreign soldiers had been killed in the attack.
Canada has about 2,200 troops in Afghanistan, most of them based in Kandahar where insurgent activity is intense.
Seven Canadian soldiers have been killed in the past week, bringing the death toll to 26 soldiers since Canada entered the country in 2002.
Putt said he does not believe Canadian troops are being singled out by insurgents.
"I don't think they're targetting Canadians. I think they're targetting coalition troops. It happens to be that the main effort are in the two provinces -- the main effort of the Taliban -- appear to be in the two provinces that are currently being helped by both the UK and the Canadians," he said.
Body of soldier on its way home
Meanwhile, the body of a Canadian soldier killed in an apparent accidental shooting in Afghanistan is on its way home, as military investigators look into whether negligence was a factor in the death.
Early Friday at Kandahar Airfield, hundreds of soldiers from Canada and other NATO countries stood to attention as the body of Master-Cpl. Jeffrey Scott Walsh was carried slowly onto a Canadian Forces Hercules aircraft.
Walsh had arrived for what was supposed to be a six-month tour of duty in Afghanistan just six days before he was killed.
Military investigators said Thursday they had not yet determined whether Walsh's death was accidental or the result of a negligent act.
Meanwhile, it was an emotional reunion for the some 90 soldiers who arrived home in Edmonton early Friday morning after a gruelling tour of duty in Afghanistan.
"There's really no words to describe how it feels to be home right now," Sgt. Darryll Newsham told CTV's Canada AM from CFB Edmonton.
"It just doesn't feel real right now, but I'm sure after a nice hot shower and a good sleep in a nice bed, it will be better."
During his tour in Kandahar, Newsham said he faced three improvised explosive device (IED) strikes and "engaged the enemy" several times.
"We knew the possibility of actually shooting and getting shot at was there, but we weren't really ready for the scale that it ended up being. And near the end, we started preparing ourselves a lot better for it than where we were at the beginning," he said.
His girlfriend Bonnie Jansen said she is elated to have him home after what was a nerve-wracking ordeal waiting for his safe return.
'It was like a dream, seeing him walk through those doors," she said.
Newsham said he will retire in about two years but it's unlikely that he will return to Afghanistan.
"I'll help train troops to go over, but as far as going back there myself, I probably won't go back," he said.
A massive rotation of troops is taking place this month, with those who deployed in February heading out and fresh troops from Ontario and Quebec coming in.
With reports from CTV's Matt McClure and The Canadian Press in Kandahar
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060712/afghanistan_edmonton_0600811/20060811?hub=TopStories
A good article but does anyone else see anything wrong with the article?
Cdn. soldier dead after bomb rocks Afghan convoy
Updated Fri. Aug. 11 2006 11:40 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
An unidentified Canadian soldier is dead after a suicide bomber drove his explosive-laden vehicle into a military convoy in southern Afghanistan on Friday.
The attack occurred around 3:30 p.m. local time on a re-supply convoy of Canadian troops near the Spin Boldak district of the southern Kandahar province, about a three-hour drive southeast of Kandahar, reported CTV's Matt McClure in Afghanistan.
"Witnesses at the scene say there was a giant blast, and in the aftermath a huge fire after a suicide bomber detonated as he passed by the convoy near a Canadian G-Wagon jeep," said McClure.
Two other soldiers in the convoy were not injured and managed to escape before the fire engulfed the vehicle. "But the third was consumed by the inferno," said McClure.
The name of the soldier who was killed is being temporarily withheld at the request of his family.
"We deeply regret the loss of a fine and dedicated soldier who died serving his country," Col. Tom Putt, deputy commander of Task Force Afghanistan, told reporters.
"Our sympathy goes out to his family in this time of grief."
There were also three Afghan civilians who were injured in the attack, although the details are not yet known.
Two planeloads of replacement troops, mainly from Manitoba and Ontario, touched down at Kandahar Air Field on Aug. 3. But McClure said it's believed the dead soldier was not among the new contingent of troops, and "had been here for some time."
The re-supply convoy was taking needed goods and maintenance materials to the forward operating base at Spin Boldak, which the Canadians maintain in order to keep a security presence near the Pakistani border.
"They were returning from that re-supply mission when the attack occurred," said McClure.
Purported Taliban spokesman Qari Yousaf Ahmadi claimed responsibility for the attack, saying the bomber was an Afghan by the name of Mohammad Ilyas.
Reuters news agency earlier reported a Taliban spokesman's claim that eight foreign soldiers had been killed in the attack.
Canada has about 2,200 troops in Afghanistan, most of them based in Kandahar where insurgent activity is intense.
Seven Canadian soldiers have been killed in the past week, bringing the death toll to 26 soldiers since Canada entered the country in 2002.
Putt said he does not believe Canadian troops are being singled out by insurgents.
"I don't think they're targetting Canadians. I think they're targetting coalition troops. It happens to be that the main effort are in the two provinces -- the main effort of the Taliban -- appear to be in the two provinces that are currently being helped by both the UK and the Canadians," he said.
Body of soldier on its way home
Meanwhile, the body of a Canadian soldier killed in an apparent accidental shooting in Afghanistan is on its way home, as military investigators look into whether negligence was a factor in the death.
Early Friday at Kandahar Airfield, hundreds of soldiers from Canada and other NATO countries stood to attention as the body of Master-Cpl. Jeffrey Scott Walsh was carried slowly onto a Canadian Forces Hercules aircraft.
Walsh had arrived for what was supposed to be a six-month tour of duty in Afghanistan just six days before he was killed.
Military investigators said Thursday they had not yet determined whether Walsh's death was accidental or the result of a negligent act.
Meanwhile, it was an emotional reunion for the some 90 soldiers who arrived home in Edmonton early Friday morning after a gruelling tour of duty in Afghanistan.
"There's really no words to describe how it feels to be home right now," Sgt. Darryll Newsham told CTV's Canada AM from CFB Edmonton.
"It just doesn't feel real right now, but I'm sure after a nice hot shower and a good sleep in a nice bed, it will be better."
During his tour in Kandahar, Newsham said he faced three improvised explosive device (IED) strikes and "engaged the enemy" several times.
"We knew the possibility of actually shooting and getting shot at was there, but we weren't really ready for the scale that it ended up being. And near the end, we started preparing ourselves a lot better for it than where we were at the beginning," he said.
His girlfriend Bonnie Jansen said she is elated to have him home after what was a nerve-wracking ordeal waiting for his safe return.
'It was like a dream, seeing him walk through those doors," she said.
Newsham said he will retire in about two years but it's unlikely that he will return to Afghanistan.
"I'll help train troops to go over, but as far as going back there myself, I probably won't go back," he said.
A massive rotation of troops is taking place this month, with those who deployed in February heading out and fresh troops from Ontario and Quebec coming in.
With reports from CTV's Matt McClure and The Canadian Press in Kandahar
