Canadian soldiers killed, wounded by U.S. A-10 Thunderbolts' "friendly fire"
Monday, September 4, 2006
- 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 |
A Canadian soldier, Pte. Mark Anthony Graham of Hamilton, Ontario, was killed and more than 30 were wounded, five seriously, in Afghanistan today in an incident being described as "friendly fire".
The Canadian soldiers came under cannon fire from NATO airplanes, reported to be two U.S. A-10 Thunderbolts, also known as the Warthog.
Brigadier-General David Fraser, the Canadian commander of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in southern Afghanistan said an investigation has been ordered; "An aircraft flying in support of ISAF operations accidentally engaged a Canadian position in Panjwaii at approximately 5:30 this morning, killing one soldier and wounding a number of others. An investigation has been ordered into this event and while this event is tragic, Operation Medusa and the Canadians continue to operate in the Panjwaii district in support of Afghan government efforts to rid the area of Taliban."
"We've got to find out what were the details there." said Fraser. "We do have procedures, we do have communications, we do have training and tactics and techniques and procedures to mitigate the risk, but we can't reduce those risks to zero."
Four Canadian soldiers were killed in a 2002 "friendly fire" incident when they were bombed by an American F-16 fighter plane.
Related news
- "Two-day NATO offensive sees 80 captured, over 200 fatalities" — Wikinews, September 3, 2006
Sources
- CBC. "Canadian killed in 'friendly fire' incident" — CBC news, September 4, 2006
- Donald McArthur. "Friendly fire kills Canadian soldier" — CanWest News service, September 4, 2006
