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News Release
Afghanistan Operations Update
NR–05.100 - December 7, 2005

OTTAWA -- Three Canadian Forces (CF) soldiers, members of Canadian Special Operations Forces, were recently wounded while conducting operations in Afghanistan. One soldier is being treated in hospital. The others were treated for their injuries and have returned to their unit.

Elements of Canadian Special Operations Forces are deployed in Afghanistan. They comprise carefully selected and highly skilled members of the Canadian Forces who are trained and ready to carry out a wide spectrum of special operations throughout the Afghan theatre in support of the Government of Afghanistan.

The CF mission is part of Canada's contribution to the multi-national efforts in Afghanistan. The overarching goal is to help the Afghan people achieve peace by preventing their nation from relapsing into a failed state that gives terrorist and terrorist organizations a safe haven. There are significant risks involved in these missions, but CF members are fully prepared because they are well equipped, well led, and among the best trained and most experienced soldiers in the world. Canadians should be extremely proud of the work they do.

For reasons of operational security and for the safety of those Canadian Special Operations Forces members and their families , no other information on this incident or on the special operations being conducted in Afghanistan will be released.

Officer of Engineers

A whole bunch of hogwash as far as the lack of info is concerned. JTF II is just a bunch of hoorah boys who likes to keep up the mystique. I cannot think of one reason why the details of their injuries cannot be released. The operation is over.

__________________
Chimo

Blademaster

Let me guess. JTF II just took away your precious funding for your precious toys and now you have to give blood to get at most one toy to play around with.

Officer of Engineers

I'm retired from the CF, remember? JTF is raiding the rest of the army of their sgts, including engineers. I'm hearing horror stories about sgts being tossed from coy to coy just on deployment.

Officer of Engineers

Special forces troops wounded in firefight

Thu Dec 8 2005

By David Pugliese
OTTAWA -- One member of the Canadian military's special forces unit is believed to have been seriously injured and two others wounded in a firefight earlier this week in Afghanistan.

One member of the Ottawa-based Joint Task Force 2 is in hospital while two other members from the unit who were injured have returned to duty. It is thought to be the first time a JTF2 soldier has been injured in combat.

The Canadian Forces issued a news release yesterday, acknowledging three JTF2 commandos had been wounded and that one was in hospital. Military officials refused to release any other details.

The Canadian news release followed a similar statement from U.S. officers in Afghanistan that three coalition troops had been wounded during a Dec. 4 attack on enemy forces in a small village north of Kandahar. Thirteen insurgents, believed to be responsible for a number of bombings in southern Afghanistan, were killed in that battle.

"Our heart goes out to them," Prime Minister Paul Martin said yesterday "and Canadians are thinking very, very much of them."
According to the U.S. officers, the coalition soldier was seriously wounded and has been transported to Landstuhl Regional Medical Centre in Germany.

He is listed in stable condition.

Two other coalition soldiers, three Afghan and three U.S. military personnel, were also injured in the fighting. All of those have been treated and released. U.S. officers did not specifically identify the coalition soldiers as Canadian, but it is known that JTF2 is working with American forces in Afghanistan in the Kandahar area.

U.S. Brig. Gen. Jack Sterling Jr., deputy commanding general of Combined Joint Task Force 76 in Afghanistan, praised the troops for their efforts. "Afghan and coalition forces are going to continue to bring the fight to the enemies of Afghanistan no matter where they are, no matter where they are trying to hide," the general said in a statement. "This is a resounding victory for Afghan forces and for the Afghan people. We located and closed with the enemies of this nation and, as we have said we would in the past, brought them to justice. The nation and the people of Afghanistan are moving toward a better, brighter future."

-- CanWest News Service

Blademaster

Well it makes sense from a political & somewhat financial standpoint. I mean special forces are a very visibile part of Canada showing her support and prowess while paying a minimum price to show off that kind of support. There's a saying for that, "Cheaper on the dime." Yeah i know that Canada is supposed to be able to support a brigade deployment as per NATO requirements but when a war is not popular among its masses and yet she needs to show support to USA, having special forces being deployed is the best way to go because of the secretive nature of the JTF, the Canadian leadership doesn't have to talk about it to the Canadian public, but can brag about it to the American public. Trying to have its cake and eat it.

AutopilotOFF

Do you think the new special operations regiment will make things worse?

Officer of Engineers

I've not heard that they're raising a regt based on JTF II and I doubt that they will. JTF II answers to the CDS, not the CLS.

The Special Operations Group will be comprised of JTF II and 3rd Battalion of each of the 3 Infantry Regiments on a rotational deployment.

What JTF II is doing is very annoying but tolerable. Deployment is not being affected ... yet. Where I see a problem is the resurrection of 4CMBG. 2 RCR will form the core of that Bde. The only other available Bn would be 2 R22eR (VD). Currently, I see no plans to re-role any of the CFR regts into RegForce.

The guy

or is it??????

Officer of Engineers

Of course it was. They're in the hospital for pete sakes.