Canadian soldier killed, 3 injured in friendly fire
Tragic ‘mistaken identity’ attack by Kurds is first death for special forces in Iraq
OTTAWA— Canada’s military mission in Iraq has turned deadly after Iraqi Kurdish troops fired on an approaching group of Canadian soldiers, killing one and wounding three others in a tragic mix-up.
Killed in the incident was Sgt. Andrew Joseph Doiron, from the Canadian Special Operations Regiment, based at Garrison Petawawa.
The friendly-fire death marks the first Canadian fatality since the mission to battle Islamic extremists began last fall.
Three other members were injured and are being treated, the military said in a statement. They were part of the group of 69 Canadian special-operations soldiers who have been in northern Iraq since October to help train Kurdish and Iraqi forces in military tactics.
Defence Minister Jason Kenney said the shooting appears to be a terrible mistake that happened in darkness.
“This is a sad and tragic incident of mistaken identity leading to friendly fire,” Kenney told reporters in Ottawa, saying it’s a danger that comes with all military deployments. “It is part of the inherent risk, unfortunately.”
Stephanie Learmouth, a high school classmate of Doiron, told the Star Saturday that she was shocked by the news.
“He was very proud to be a Canadian soldier; it’s what he always wanted to do,” she said.
“He was very proud to be a Canadian soldier; it’s what he always wanted to do.” STEPHANIE LEARMOUTH HIGH SCHOOL CLASSMATE “(We must) continue the campaign to halt ISIS’s spread and reduce its capacity to carry out terrorist attacks abroad and here in Canada.” STEPHEN HARPER PRIME MINISTER
Doiron, who Learmouth said was 31, had a good sense of humour and had “great relationships” with his family and friends. Learmouth said she planned to attend an informal gathering of loved ones in Moncton Saturday night. “We’re proud of what he represented, and sad at the same time at his loss.”
Kenny said the Canadians were not near the front line at the time, but had no other operational details and said information was still coming in to defence headquarters. He said an inquiry will be held to determine what happened and “what lessons we need to learn from this.”
The military said the incident occurred around 3:50 p.m. Friday, Toronto time, when special operations forces were “mistakenly engaged by Iraqi Kurdish forces following their return to an observation post behind the front lines.”
The military refused to say more about the incident.
However, reports in the Kurdish media quoted Peshmerga commander Mosa Gardi saying that troops fired on the Canadians thinking they were Islamic militants.
At the time there had been intense fighting between his forces and Islamic State militants in a village north of Mosul, when the Canadians left their vehicle and approached the fight, he said.
“They got very close to the fighting without our coordination and when the Peshmerga saw them, they asked who they were. The Canadians answered in Arabic, leading the Peshmerga to believe they were IS militants, and shot them,” Gardi is quoted as telling Basnews.
The report could not be independently verified, and Kenney urged caution.
“My understanding is that the Canadian troops conducted themselves professionally, did what they were supposed to do in such a circumstance,” he said.
“Unfortunately, it was a question of a failure to recognize them on the part of the Kurdish militia,” he said. A news release from command overseeing the multinational effort said the four soldiers were wounded while conducting an “advise and assist” mission with Kurdish security forces in northern Iraq.
“The four were transported to a coalition medical facility for care, where one servicemember died of wounds,” said the statement from Combined Joint Task Force, Operation Inherent Resolve.
Tributes to Doiron and concern for his wounded colleagues poured in after the news broke Saturday afternoon.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper and wife Laureen offered their “deepest condolences” to his family, friends and colleagues.
“This tragic incident reminds us of the very real risks that our brave men and women in uniform assume on our behalf to defend the freedoms that we cherish,” Harper said in a statement.
Gov. Gen. David Johnston said Canadians will never forget Doiron’s sacrifice. NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair and Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau also expressed their condolences.
Gen. Tom Lawson, the chief of defence staff, expressed his “profound sadness” at Doiron’s death, calling him a “soldier and a warrior.”
Brig.-Gen. Michael Rouleau, commander of Canadian Special Operations Forces Command, said the death would be felt throughout the military.
“He was a gifted special operator and a great leader. He loved his job and the people he soldiered with,” Rouleau said in a statement.
Harper appeared resolute about the mission, saying Canada must stick with its allies to “continue the campaign to halt ISIS’s spread and reduce its capacity to carry out terrorist attacks abroad and here in Canada.”
That’s a strong hint that the Conservative government intends to extend its military commitment in Iraq, which was due to expire in less than a month.
“Our government and the Canadian Armed Forces take the duty to protect Canadians seriously. Part of that duty requires us to stand tall and shoulder our share of the burden in the fight against ISIL,” Harper said.
In addition to the ground troops, Canada already has six CF-18s and support aircraft flying from an airbase in Kuwait, where some 600 Canadian military personnel keep air operations running.
The cabinet is due to consider whether to extend their mission shortly. Kenney said the death will have no bearing on the government’s decision.
“We believe there continues to be a very real national security imperative to join with our allies in confronting this organization,” he said.
The Canadians went to northern Iraq on a non-combat training mission to boost the skills of local Iraqi and Kurdish fighters so they could battle the Islamic State group themselves and reclaim territory lost to the extremists. That training included topics such as how to fire mortars, heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades.
Rouleau had said that 80 per cent of the training happened “kilometres” behind the front lines. The remaining training occurred on forward positions “mostly close to the front lines but sometimes right at the front lines if that is the only place from where we can accomplish it.”
But the mission stirred controversy earlier this year when it was revealed that Canadian troops were on the front lines, helping to guide airstrikes by coalition aircraft. As well, on several occasions, they had come under attack from extremists and were forced to fire back in defence.
In announcing the deployment of soldiers at a NATO summit in September, Harper said the risks for the ground mission were low but exist. “We don’t think the risks are enormous, but the risks are very real.”
That was echoed by Rouleau, who returned from a visit with his soldiers in January.
“The risk to CANSOF ground forces in the advise and assist regime with mitigation measures in place is low, but low never means zero,” he said.
“Just like our training every day here in Canada, there are always risks of injury,” he told reporters in January. With files from Manisha Krishnan
“He was a gifted special operator and a great leader. He loved his job and the people he soldiered with.” BRIG.-GEN. MICHAEL ROULEAU COMMANDER, CANADIAN SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES COMMAND