Sept. 11. 2001
On the morning of September 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked four American commercial passenger aircraft. Two were flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in New York City; the third struck the Pentagon in Washington D.C.; and the fourth crashed into a field in Pennsylvania. No one aboard the aircraft survived. The United States launched an international campaign against terrorism, to which the Canadian Forces (CF) is making a significant contribution.
Sept. 12, 2001
The UN Security Council issues Resolution 1368, which condemns the attacks of September 11, offers deepest sympathy to the American people, and reaffirms the right of member nations (expressed in Article 51 of the UN Charter) to individual and collective self-defence. It urges the world community to suppress terrorism and hold accountable all who aid, support or harbour the perpetrators, organizers and sponsors of terrorist acts, and states that the UN is prepared to combat all forms of terrorism.
Sept. 28, 2001
The UN Security Council issues Resolution 1373, setting out the methods by which member states are to root out terrorists and terrorist organizations, and deprive terrorists of the funds and materials necessary to conduct their operations.
Oct. 4, 2001
NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson announces that, in response to the terrorist attacks in the U.S., the North Atlantic Council (NATO's senior advisory body) is invoking Article 5 of the Treaty of Washington, which states that any attack on a NATO nation launched from outside that nation shall be interpreted as an attack on all the NATO nations.
Deployment of the Battle Group
Oct. 7, 2001 - Operation APOLLO is established in support of the U.S. initiative code-named Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.
In mid-November 2001, the U.S. asked its coalition partners (including Canada) to provide ground troops for a stabilization force to be deployed in areas secured by the Northern Alliance to facilitate distribution of humanitarian relief and supplies to the people of Afghanistan.
In accordance with this request, Canada immediately placed 1,000 members of the Immediate Reaction Force (Land) (IRF(L)) on 48 hours' notice to deploy. The IRF(L) is a light, fully mobile force designed to respond quickly to overseas missions, and therefore, highly suitable for evolving operations; at that time, it was drawn mostly from the highly trained Edmonton and Winnipeg-based battalions of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry.
The situation on the ground in Afghanistan changed significantly during November and December 2001. Consequently, the Government of Canada received a request from the U.S. for a contingent of about 750 Canadian soldiers to deploy to Kandahar as part of the U.S. Army task force built around the 187th Brigade Combat Team (187 BCT) from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. In January 2002, Canada agreed to deploy the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (3 PPCLI) Battle Group, which included a reconnaissance squadron from Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) (LdSH(RC)), and combat service support elements from 1 Service Battalion.
The U.S. request for Canadian assistance was based on our allies' knowledge of and confidence in the ability of the CF to contribute to international security. During their six-month deployment in Afghanistan, the soldiers of the 3 PPCLI Battle Group performed tasks ranging from airfield security to combat.
The LdSH(RC) reconnaissance squadron is equipped with Canadian-made Coyote armoured reconnaissance vehicles, which our U.S. allies specifically requested for this mission. With a top speed of 100 kilometres per hour and the ability to climb hills with a 60-degree slope, the Coyote is well suited to terrain such as that of Afghanistan, and it has high-technology surveillance and long-range detection systems comprising state-of-the-art optics, thermal imagery, image intensifiers, surveillance radar, and laser range-finders.
Afghanistan gave the Coyote many chances to show off its unique capabilities. For example, soon after the Battle Group's arrival in theatre, two Coyotes were dispatched to defend the crews of two American Apache helicopters that had been caught in a dust storm and forced to land outside the Kandahar airfield.
The deployment of the 3 PPCLI Battle Group significantly increased the number of CF personnel directly involved in Operation APOLLO. It also represented another important contribution of direct support to Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, and demonstrated yet again the importance of interoperability with our allies.
The Government of Canada decided to bring the 3 PPCLI Battle Group back to Canada when it had completed six months of service in Afghanistan. The redeployment was announced on June 21, 2002, and the troops arrived back in Canada in two contingents on July 28 and 30. The repatriation of the Battle Group was synchronized with the scheduled rotation of American troops to permit the Battle Group to travel by American airlift.
Events to date
On February 1, 2002 the first soldiers of the 3 PPCLI Battle Group departed Edmonton for Kandahar, some by Canadian and U.S. military airlift, and others by chartered civilian air services. The movement of troops and equipment, including 125 vehicles and trailers, was completed on February 22, 2002.
On March 7, 2002 the CF began deploying about 130 more soldiers to Afghanistan: a rifle company from the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, based in Winnipeg. This augmentation brought the 3 PPCLI Battle Group to its full complement of three rifle companies, and a total strength of about 850 all ranks.
Operation ANACONDA:
During March, members of the 3 PPCLI Battle Group were in the mountains of Paktia Province east of Gardez on Operation ANACONDA, a U.S.-led coalition effort to search the mountains for Al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters, capture them, and destroy their shelters. The Canadian force comprised 16 soldiers, including six snipers and an emergency extraction force of medical, security and transport personnel with vehicles specialized for winter operations. These soldiers came under fire and engaged the enemy; as a result, some Al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters were killed.
The coalition force met with determined resistance, and the enemy demonstrated that they were well organized and well supplied. Throughout Operation ANACONDA, the Canadian sniper teams were noted for the deadly accuracy with which they suppressed enemy mortar and heavy machine-gun positions. They are credited with preventing or stopping attacks that could have taken the lives of many coalition soldiers.
Operation HARPOON:
In the early hours of March 13, 2002 the coalition launched a separate offensive operation in roughly the same region as Operation ANACONDA. This new mission, called Operation HARPOON, was a joint Canadian-American assault using land and air forces to eliminate a specific pocket of Taliban and Al-Qaeda resistance. The land component was a battalion-sized mixed Canadian and American force under the tactical command of Lieutenant-Colonel Pat Stogran, the commanding officer of the 3 PPCLI Battle Group. On March 14, 2002 LCol Stogran's Canadian reconnaissance troops led one of his American platoons to a cave-and-bunker complex where the Americans proceeded to destroy several bunkers. Operation HARPOON was completed on March 19, 2002.
Following Operation HARPOON, the soldiers of the 3 PPCLI Battle Group returned to camp at Kandahar International Airport to resume their security duties and prepare for other taskings. The reconnaissance squadron continued to conduct "presence patrols" on the security perimeter around the Kandahar airfield.
On April 17, 2002 an aerial bomb was accidentally dropped on soldiers of the 3 PPCLI Battle Group who were conducting a live-fire exercise at Tarnak Farm, a designated training area about five kilometres south of the Kandahar airfield. Four soldiers were killed and eight others were injured. The Minister of National Defence convened a Board of Inquiry to investigate the "Tarnak Farm incident", as it is now known, and portions of the Board's final report have been made public.
Operation TORII: On May 4, 2002 the coalition forces in Afghanistan launched Operation TORII, a three-day operation in the Tora Bora region of Afghanistan conducted by Lieutenant-Colonel Pat Stogran of the 3 PPCLI Battle Group in command of an international task force that included about 400 Canadian soldiers Their mission was to find Taliban and Al-Qaeda cave complexes, gather information about terrorist operations in the area, and destroy the cave complexes to prevent terrorists from using them in future. During Op TORII, burial sites were discovered and forensic teams extracted DNA evidence with potential intelligence value.
Following Operation TORII, the 3 PPCLI Battle Group reformed at Kandahar airfield to resume security duties and prepare for other taskings. The reconnaissance squadron continued to conduct "presence patrols" on the security perimeter around the Kandahar airfield.
Between June 30, 2002 and July 4, 2002 most of the 3 PPCLI Battle Group deployed to Zobol Province, about 100 km northeast of Kandahar airfield, to establish a coalition presence there for the first time. During this deployment, the Canadians conducted a sweep operation in conjunction with the Afghan National Army in the Shin Key Valley that produced information about recent Al Qaeda and Taliban activities; they also recovered several rockets, fostered relations with the governor of the province, and distributed humanitarian aid (e.g., blankets, food, school supplies) to local people.
On July 13, 2002 the 3 PPCLI Battle Group ceased operations and began preparing for the return to Canada. Following a brief stay in Guam (part of their reintegration process), the soldiers arrived in Edmonton, Alberta on July 28, 2002 and July 30, 2002. The soldiers not based in Edmonton then continued on to their homes in Winnipeg, Manitoba; Kingston, Ontario; and Trenton, Ontario.
The soldiers of the 3 PPCLI Battle Group were not only well trained, well equipped, and fully aware of the significant risks they faced in Afghanistan, they were also pleased to represent Canada in the coalition against terrorism, and to and contribute their skills to this important international effort.
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