Snipers, bombs part of Canada’s ‘non-combat’ mission
Canadian special forces have been on the front lines in Iraq, targeting extremist Islamic gunmen with bombs and sniper fire, despite assurances from the Conservative government the country’s troops would not be involved in combat.
But Canadian military leaders insist what they are doing is not a combat mission and have likened it to United Nations peacekeeping operations of the 1990s.
Canadian special forces have directed 13 airstrikes against forces from Islamic State (also known as ISIS or ISIL), the first starting some time in November, the military confirmed Monday. In the last week, Canadian special forces snipers also “neutralized” Islamic State mortar and machine-gun positions.
In September, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that up to 69 Canadian commandos would be sent to northern Iraq to train and advise forces fighting Islamic State.
“This is not a combat mission and the role is clearly defined,” Harper said at the time. “Canada is joining our allies in providing critical advice to forces in northern Iraq as they continue to hold back the terrorist advance.”
Brig.-Gen. Mike Rouleau, commander of Canadian Special Operations Forces Command, said Monday that the use of the commandos to help select targets and direct air attacks is not a combat mission. Nor is it an escalation in the role of Canadian special forces in Iraq, he added.
“We are enabling coalition airstrikes in our area of operations,” he said. “It’s very much in the advise-and-assist role.”
Rouleau revealed that Canadian special forces at the front lines with senior Iraqi officers recently came under mortar and machine-gun fire. Using sniper rifles, the Canadians returned fire and “neutralized” the Islamic State forces, he added.
Rouleau said the Canadians acted in self-defence and it was the first time the soldiers had come under fire. He noted he still considers the level of risk to his troops as low.
But NDP defence critic Jack Harris said the new details released by the military indicate not only that Canadians are taking part in combat but that the Iraq deployment is being escalated.
“We were told all the work would be away from the front lines but obviously that is not the case,” Harris said. “Now they’re calling in airstrikes. What next?”