Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan fought two battles with insurgents over the weekend. No Canadians were hurt, but Maj. Todd Strickland, the deputy commander of Canada's battle group, said the Taliban suffered heavily in one engagement."I think there are dead. Our own assessment is between 15 and 20."
Strickland led the Canadian Forces in a second fight, a 72-hour battle in the Punjiwai district 45 kilometres southwest of Kandahar. It started as at least 150 Canadians with Afghan soldiers and police swept the area for militants. Several dozen were cornered against the Arghandab River. The Canadians blocked the escape routes, used the heavy guns on their LAV III vehicles to pin down the Taliban and then called in attack helicopters. "Throughout the night, artillery was used firing illumination rounds to keep the Taliban's heads down," Strickland told reporters. "They don't like our guns. When our guns are firing, they're not moving." Afghan authorities said seven insurgents were killed, nine were wounded and a dozen men captured by Canadians were being interrogated.
He showed reporters marks on his LAV. The Taliban bullets just bounced off, an encouraging sign for the soldiers. Strickland was not involved in the other battle, in Helmand province early Saturday, but briefed reporters about it.
A supply convoy consisting of two LAVs, a jeep and a large truck was headed for Forward Operating Base Robinson in the mountains when three Taliban vehicles were spotted setting up an ambush. After confirming none of the coalition's Afghan allies was in the area, the LAVs fired at the vehicles with their 25-mm guns. Strickland believes the fire destroyed the vehicles and probably killed the 15 to 20 occupants.