February 23, 2009 - Tridentnews.ca

12 SPECIAL REPORT: AFGHANISTAN
TRIDENT, FEBRUARY 23, 2009
Our mission in Afghanistan
On December 20, 2001 the International Security Assistance
Force (ISAF) was formed with a mandate to maintain security
in and around Kabul, Afghanistan. The first major wave of
Canadian soldiers arrived 44 days later. Canada and the other
nations participating in the ISAF, a NATO-led and UN-sanctioned
mission, are in Afghanistan at the request of the democratically
elected government of President Hamid Karzai.
Since that time, Canada has assisted in the rebuilding of
Afghanistan through operations to improve security, governance
and infrastructure.
This 12-page special report on Afghanistan not only pays
tribute to the more than 100 CF members who have made
the ultimate sacrifice, it also highlights Canada’s work in the
areas of education, humanitarian assistance and rebuilding
core elements of their society.
The following is a timeline including some of the events following the terrorist attacks on
September 11, 2001.
October 17, 2001 HMC Ships Charlottetown, Iroquois and Preserver leave Halifax to join
US and British forces in the Arabian Gulf.
December 20, 2001 Under the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1386, the
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) was formed with a mandate to maintain
security in and around Kabul.
January 25, 2002 Canada re-establishes diplomatic ties with Afghanistan.
February 2, 2002 The first large group of Canadian soldiers, 140 members of Princess
Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, arrives in Afghanistan.
June 13, 2002 Hamid Karzai is elected Head of the Afghan Transitional Authority.
February 12, 2003 Minister of National Defence John McCallum announces Canada will
deploy more than 1,000 soldiers to join the ISAF in Kabul.
July 17, 2003 Operation ATHENA begins and BGen Peter Devlin becomes commander of
the Kabul Multinational Brigade.
July 19, 2003 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Battalion Group deploys to
Kabul as Roto 0 of Operation ATHENA.
August 11, 2003 NATO takes over the command and coordination of ISAF.
January 20, 2004 The 3rd Battalion, Royal 22nd Regiment and the 5th Régiment d'artillerie
légère du Canada deploy as Roto 1. In June 2004 they are joined by 5th Régiment du
génie de combat.
February 9, 2004 LGen. Rick Hillier takes command of the ISAF.
June 28, 2004 NATO announces it will expand its presence in Afghanistan through four
additional Provincial Reconstruction Teams.
August 8, 2004 LGen Rick Hillier hands over command of the ISAF to France’s LGen.
Jean-Louis Py.
August 2004 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry Reconnaissance
Squadron, Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians) and 11 Field Squadron, 1 Combat
Engineer Regiment deploy as Roto 2.
October 7, 2004 Afghanistan holds its first direct presidential elections. Hamid Karzai is
declared president two days later.
December 3, 2204 Following a request from a local resident in Kabul, Canadian soldiers
remove approximately 1,500 kg of munitions from an ammunition cache near a patrol route in
the Kabul area. The cache includes more than 300 rounds of 82mm mortars, approximately 50
rounds of 120mm mortars, and the rest of various sizes. This is one of the largest caches
engineers encountered since OPERATION ATHENA began in 2003.
February 5, 2005 23 Field Squadron, 2 Combat Engineer Regiment, joined in March by 1st
Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment, deploy as Roto 3. This is the final roto for Kabul.
July 2005 Reconnaissance Squadron The Royal Canadian Dragoons, joined in August by D
Squadron, The Royal Canadian Dragoons, and 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
Battle Group, deploy as Roto 0 Kandahar.
August 2005 The Government of Canada forms the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction
Team at Camp Nathan Smith in Kandahar City.
September 6, 2006 NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and President Hamid
Karzai sign the Declaration by NATO and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, setting out a
framework for enduring co-operation in partnership.
September18, 2005 Afghanistan holds its first parliamentary elections in 30 years.
January 30, 2006 The Afghanistan Compact is signed. This compact governs the
relationship between the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the coalition
forces, which are the ISAF and the US-led Operation Enduring Freedom.
February 2006 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry Battle Group,
deploys as Roto 1.
February 28, 2006 BGen David Fraser takes command of the multinational force in
southern Afghanistan.
August 2006 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group deploys as Roto 2.
August, 2006 The Canadian Operational Mentor Liaison Team starts work in
Kandahar Province.
November 1, 2006 BGen David Fraser ends his eight-month command of NATO soldiers
in southern Afghanistan.
September 22, 2006 During an official state visit to Canada, President Hamid Karzai
speaks to MPs and senators in Ottawa. Karzai thanks Canada for its financial aid to
Afghanistan and after stating that four fallen Canadian soldiers had returned home recently,
President Karzai tells the joint session of Parliament that he sympathized with the families and
friends of the fallen, and that those soldiers gave their lives so that Afghanistan might have a
better future.
February 2007 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group deploys on Roto 3.
August 2007 3rd Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment Battle Group deploys as Roto 4.
February 2008 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light infantry deploys as Roto 5.
July 2008 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group deployed on Roto 6.
October 6, 2008 Afghanistan starts Phase I of the voter registration process in 14
provinces. This is for the national election to be held in 2009.
November 27, 2008 In recognition of Canada’s contribution in supporting training, mentoring
and infrastructure development at Sarpoza Prison, the Ministry of Justice presents members of
ISAF’s KPRT with an award. Col Abdullah Balwar, director of Sarpoza Prison, presents the
award to four members of the Correctional Service of Canada, two members from the Department
of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, and two members of the Canadian Forces.
December 6, 2008 The Canadian Forces expands its presence in the skies over
Afghanistan as the Joint Task Force (Afghanistan) Air Wing is officially stood up at Kandahar
Airfield.
December 20, 2008 Six Canadian Griffon helicopters land at the Kandahar Air Field via
C-17 Globemaster III. The Griffons are the first Canadian helicopters to arrive at the Canadian
Air Wing in Afghanistan and will provide escort protection for Canada’s newly acquired
Chinook helicopter.
January 6, 2009 Following a three-day operation from December 18 to 20, 2008, during
which they found and destroyed several weapons caches containing Improvised Explosive
Devices (IEDs), IED making equipment, small arms and munitions, soldiers from the 3rd
Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group, participate in Operation PANCAR,
or ‘Claw’ in Pashtu. This battle group operation aims to maintain constant pressure on the
insurgents through the winter months. “We need to stay aggressive,” states LCol Roger
Barrett, Commanding Officer of the 3rd Battalion. “We can and will dictate the pace through
the winter months.”
February 7, 2009 Fifteen soldiers from the Afghan National Army (ANA) 205th Corps
complete a four-week Basic Engineers Course and graduate during a ceremony at Camp
Hero near Kandahar Air Field. The course, offered by members of the Canadian Operational
Mentoring Liaison Team (OMLT), emphasizes principles in mine detection and demolition as
well as field operations and carpentry.
With file information from www.cbc.ca, www.nato.int/isaf and www.forces.gc.ca.