Opinion
Barry Artiste.
Though the military is not giving details of the attack, but to only say it was not an IED, but a Taliban force which lay in wait for the ambush in which the three soldiers troopers returned fire.
Five other soldiers were injured in the attack.
Again, Mano a Mano is not something the Taliban wish to engage in, either using suicide bombers or setting up ambushes in villages with innocent civilians knowing a soldiers reluctance to engage in a firefight with innocent villagers around. Though recently innocent villagers have been casualties in firefights and bombings in which the Taliban prefer to fight from than on neutral ground. Hence troops bringing the fight to villages puts troops at a clear disadvantage, both in public opinion, the death of villagers and the troops moral conscience.
http://www.ottawasun.com/News/Afghan/2008/09/04/6655436-sun.html
TRIPLE-TRAGIC AMBUSH TALIBAN LAYING IN WAIT LAUNCH DEADLY ‘DIRECT ATTACK’ ON PATROLLING SOLDIERS
(Photo Inset) Cpl. Andrew Grenon, Cpl. Mike Seggie and Pte. Chad Horn were members of the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry based in Shilo, Man. September 4, 2008
By TOBI COHEN, THE CANADIAN PRESS
KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN — Three young Canadian soldiers killed yesterday in southern Afghanistan had just about finished their tour and were preparing to head home when they became embroiled in a fatal ambush, military officials said.
Cpl. Andrew Grenon, Cpl. Mike Seggie and Pte. Chad Horn, all members of the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry based in Shilo, Man., died in an insurgent attack on their armoured vehicle in the volatile Zhari district.
“It was not an improvised explosive device; it was a direct attack,” said Brig.-Gen. Denis Thompson, the Canadian task force commander in Afghanistan.
Thompson said the soldiers returned fire with small arms and other weapons, but he didn’t know whether the enemy was hit.
The attack came during what some thought would be a lull in violence coinciding with the onset of the Islamic holiday of Ramadan on Monday.
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