Canadians survive suicide bombing
One soldier cut, others uninjured in Kandahar blast Afghan civilian killed in attack, military says
KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN—
A Canadian soldier was slightly injured yesterday after a suicide bomber detonated himself next to a military convoy. The incident took place just before 4 p. m. as a Canadian patrol was travelling on a main road through the former Taliban stronghold of Kandahar.
“ It was a very populated area with lots of civilians, shops and people on bikes,” said Lt.- Col. Stephen Borland, chief of staff of the Canadian Provincial Reconstruction Team in Kandahar.
“ The suicide bomber also killed one civilian and injured two others. Our condolences go out to the Afghan families involved and we wish those injured a speedy recovery.
“ With these attacks there’s no regard for Afghans. The people who do this are not representative of the Afghan people, who want to move away from this kind of thing.” The soldier, whose name the military would not release because he was only slightly injured with minor cuts above his eye, was riding in an armoured vehicle when the bomber struck. He was not taken to hospital and resumed his duties after medics examined him, Borland said. At least two other Canadian soldiers travelling in the same vehicle were unharmed.
“ A patrol vehicle was coming back from a meeting that took place ( yesterday) afternoon and was engaged by a suicide bomber,” Borland said. He said the bomber had explosives strapped to his chest and detonated them as he stood one to two metres from the passenger side of a convoy vehicle. The attacker died in the blast.
“ All soldiers upon return and after being looked at called home to let their families know they were all right,” Borland said. Canadian troops say they’re well aware of the dangers in the Kandahar region.
“ The bombers may be driving motorbikes, cars, taxis, bikes, or on foot,” Borland said.
“ We’re aware of this threat every single day. We know we’re in a non- permissive environment, a combat zone, and this is not a peacekeeping operation.
“ In the aftermath of this incident, we will work closely with Afghan national police and together we’ll secure the scene and bring an element of calm back to the area.” The soldiers targeted yesterday were part of the Provincial Reconstruction Team, a unit of about 250 Canadian troops that is helping local authorities stabilize and rebuild the Kandahar area. Canada’s Task Force Afghanistan includes about 900 troops, which will be increased to 2,000 come February. Another two Canadian soldiers, also members of the Provincial Reconstruction Team, were slightly injured in Kandahar yesterday when their truck rolled over, defence department spokesperson Jae Malana told the Toronto Star’s Hilda Hoy. The two soldiers were treated in hospital and released. One had a bruised knee and minor head injuries, and the other suffered bruising to the neck, Malana said. The accident came less than two weeks after Pte. Braun Scott Woodfield died in a vehicle rollover outside Kandahar.
Woodfield, the eighth Canadian to die in Afghanistan since 2002, was serving as a rear sentry on an armoured vehicle when it swerved to avoid an oncoming vehicle and tipped over. One Canadian soldier, Cpl. Jamie Murphy, has died in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan.