Canadian defence minister escapes rocket attack in Afghanistan
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
- 26 January 2012: 'Davos man' versus 'Camp Igloo'; 42nd World Economic Forum convenes in Swiss alps
- 13 January 2012: Observing the 2012 Human Trafficking Awareness Day in the US, and wider world
- 4 January 2012: Suspect arrested in Los Angeles arson rampage case
- 25 November 2011: Scientists sequence small genome of a pest: spider mite
- 22 October 2011: Canadian actress Barbara Kent dies at age 103
|
|
To write, edit, start or view other Canada articles, see the Canada Portal |
Canadian Minister of Defence Peter MacKay just narrowly escaped a rocket attack by the Taliban in Afghanistan yesterday morning. He was visiting Forward Operating Base Wilson 20 kilometres west of Kandahar.
MacKay escaped into a Jeep as the first explosion went off at 11:00 a.m., local time (UTC+4:30). The second rocket, which struck 15 minutes after, hit four Canadian soldiers. The soldiers are now in good condition.
MacKay was picked up by a helicopter an hour later.
Some military experts and reporters on the scene suggested that the attack would not have been targeted to hit MacKay specifically. But according to Canadian Press reporter Bill Graveland, the Taliban could have guessed someone important was present when they saw Blackhawk helicopters.
"I don't believe that there was any way they had any idea the Mr. MacKay was there, but if you see a number of Blackhawk helicopters flying over a base, you're going to assume it's somebody important," said Graveland.
"I do not believe he was targeted," said Chief of the Defence Staff General Rick Hillier. "I think these are things that have occurred [coincidentally] in time and space."
MacKay held a news conference at Kandahar Air Field last night.
"There was an explosion. It was a loud bang," said MacKay. "When it happened, we heard the explosion, we heard the whistle overhead, we were told to get down and we did. Thankfully, again, when missions like this are underway, you're given a very thorough briefing as you'd expect. We're told how to react, everything went like clockwork. We were taken out of harm's way very quickly, and put in an armoured vehicle. And I'm grateful for the experience, because now I have a greater appreciation of how competent, how able and how successful our people are in the field."
MacKay is in Afghanistan to talk about improving the country's economy, security, health care and education.
Sources
- "MacKay caught in Afghan rocket attack" — Reuters, November 7, 2007
- "MacKay unhurt in rocket attack on Afghan base" — CTV, November 6, 2007
