- Dec 12, 2000
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Canadians hit al-Qaida positions
By STEPHEN THORNE -- Canadian Press
WITH CANADIAN TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN (CP) -- Canadian and American troops attacked al-Qaida positions in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan on Thursday, killing at least three enemy fighters in the Canadian-led offensive that began a day earlier.
The assault raged for about 90 minutes before the area was secured. There were no reports of Canadian or American casualties. One of the three al-Qaida fighters killed had his head blown off.
The battle came on the second day of Operation Harpoon, which military headquarters officials said involves 500 Canadian and 100 U.S. troops in the mountainous areas south of Gardez, Paktia province. It is believed to be one of the biggest ground offensives by the Canadian Forces in recent decades.
"I think it went unexpectedly smooth," Sgt. Torry White, a native of Vancouver, said about Thursday's assault.
White was part of the Canadian reconnaissance platoon that discovered the al-Qaida bunker-and-caves complex several kilometres from where the Canadians were dropped off by helicopters on Wednesday.
"When you put things in training into actual business they don't normally go as well. These guys (the Americans and Canadians) did an outstanding job. This was a textbook raid onto an enemy objective," White said.
The commander of the American platoon, 1st Lieut. Greg Darling of Warren Center, Pa., described how coalition troops poured unrelenting fire into the enemy positions before swarming the area.
"Phew, it was good," Darling said. "We started off by firing some AT4s (anti-tank weapons) at some gun positions. Two other squads moved in from the back side after we hosed it pretty heavy."
Coalition troops then fired heavy- and light-machine-guns into the rocky outcropping and the warren of caves.
"There was one enemy when we rounded the first corner," Darling said.
"I pushed the rest of the squad through. They found holes all though the feature and they tossed fragmentary grenades into them. When they reached the far side, they found another fighting position."
They hit it with more automatic weapons fire and fragmentary grenades, and they dropped a satchel charge of C4 explosives and blew out the opening.
Master Cpl. Erik Kerr, a native of Edmonton, said he didn't feel bad that "al-Qaida or Taliban guys got killed."
"I hope we get the rest of them before we go," Kerr said.
Master Cpl. Chuck Cote described the trek through thin mountain air to the objective as "a good hump."
"I'm just glad that none of our guys got killed," he said.
Pte. Francis McCann, a rifleman and native of Langley, B.C., described the operation as "interesting."
"I never thought in this day and age it would have to come to this," he said of the fierce fighting.
Other members of the Canadian platoon included Master Cpl. Jeff Whibbs of Peterborough, Ont., a rifleman; and Pte. Shaun Cameron, a native of Duck Lake, Sask., who is the squad automatic weapons gunner.
The reconnaissance team was led by Capt. Ryan Latinovich of Welland, Ont.
His troops discovered the cave-and-bunker complex.
Latinovich, who designed the attack plan and laid it out for officers of the U.S. 10th Mountain Division, was pleased with his troops' performance.
"They showed excellent drive and determination getting up here to begin with, and then excellent security and picketing of the objective for the assault forces," Latinovich said.
In thin mountain air and under a hot sun, the Canadians led the Americans across a rocky, bomb-shattered ridgeline. They reached the end of the ridge and looked across 200 metres to a rock feature where one bunker could be seen facing off to their left flank.
The attack began promptly. Explosions could be heard along the ridgeline as Canadians and U.S. forces destroyed the numerous caves. Inside, coalition troops found rocket-propelled grenades and launchers, and stacks of small-arms ammunition.
A convoy of vehicles could be seen about three kilometres away, far down the valley to the right. The convoy, believed made up of friendly Afghan forces, stopped and watched the action.
Canadian troops met no opposition when they were dropped off by helicopters Wednesday morning. They assumed control of much of the ridgeline by the end of the day. The troops slept out in the open, under the stars and in the cold.
They watched as massive explosions rocked the mountains three kilometres across the valley, where coalition aircraft were bombing exit routes used by remnants of al-Qaida forces.
By STEPHEN THORNE -- Canadian Press
WITH CANADIAN TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN (CP) -- Canadian and American troops attacked al-Qaida positions in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan on Thursday, killing at least three enemy fighters in the Canadian-led offensive that began a day earlier.
The assault raged for about 90 minutes before the area was secured. There were no reports of Canadian or American casualties. One of the three al-Qaida fighters killed had his head blown off.
The battle came on the second day of Operation Harpoon, which military headquarters officials said involves 500 Canadian and 100 U.S. troops in the mountainous areas south of Gardez, Paktia province. It is believed to be one of the biggest ground offensives by the Canadian Forces in recent decades.
"I think it went unexpectedly smooth," Sgt. Torry White, a native of Vancouver, said about Thursday's assault.
White was part of the Canadian reconnaissance platoon that discovered the al-Qaida bunker-and-caves complex several kilometres from where the Canadians were dropped off by helicopters on Wednesday.
"When you put things in training into actual business they don't normally go as well. These guys (the Americans and Canadians) did an outstanding job. This was a textbook raid onto an enemy objective," White said.
The commander of the American platoon, 1st Lieut. Greg Darling of Warren Center, Pa., described how coalition troops poured unrelenting fire into the enemy positions before swarming the area.
"Phew, it was good," Darling said. "We started off by firing some AT4s (anti-tank weapons) at some gun positions. Two other squads moved in from the back side after we hosed it pretty heavy."
Coalition troops then fired heavy- and light-machine-guns into the rocky outcropping and the warren of caves.
"There was one enemy when we rounded the first corner," Darling said.
"I pushed the rest of the squad through. They found holes all though the feature and they tossed fragmentary grenades into them. When they reached the far side, they found another fighting position."
They hit it with more automatic weapons fire and fragmentary grenades, and they dropped a satchel charge of C4 explosives and blew out the opening.
Master Cpl. Erik Kerr, a native of Edmonton, said he didn't feel bad that "al-Qaida or Taliban guys got killed."
"I hope we get the rest of them before we go," Kerr said.
Master Cpl. Chuck Cote described the trek through thin mountain air to the objective as "a good hump."
"I'm just glad that none of our guys got killed," he said.
Pte. Francis McCann, a rifleman and native of Langley, B.C., described the operation as "interesting."
"I never thought in this day and age it would have to come to this," he said of the fierce fighting.
Other members of the Canadian platoon included Master Cpl. Jeff Whibbs of Peterborough, Ont., a rifleman; and Pte. Shaun Cameron, a native of Duck Lake, Sask., who is the squad automatic weapons gunner.
The reconnaissance team was led by Capt. Ryan Latinovich of Welland, Ont.
His troops discovered the cave-and-bunker complex.
Latinovich, who designed the attack plan and laid it out for officers of the U.S. 10th Mountain Division, was pleased with his troops' performance.
"They showed excellent drive and determination getting up here to begin with, and then excellent security and picketing of the objective for the assault forces," Latinovich said.
In thin mountain air and under a hot sun, the Canadians led the Americans across a rocky, bomb-shattered ridgeline. They reached the end of the ridge and looked across 200 metres to a rock feature where one bunker could be seen facing off to their left flank.
The attack began promptly. Explosions could be heard along the ridgeline as Canadians and U.S. forces destroyed the numerous caves. Inside, coalition troops found rocket-propelled grenades and launchers, and stacks of small-arms ammunition.
A convoy of vehicles could be seen about three kilometres away, far down the valley to the right. The convoy, believed made up of friendly Afghan forces, stopped and watched the action.
Canadian troops met no opposition when they were dropped off by helicopters Wednesday morning. They assumed control of much of the ridgeline by the end of the day. The troops slept out in the open, under the stars and in the cold.
They watched as massive explosions rocked the mountains three kilometres across the valley, where coalition aircraft were bombing exit routes used by remnants of al-Qaida forces.
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