World

Canadians fire on vehicle near bomb diffusing team-Kill Civilian

by Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke | July 18, 2009 at 06:57 am

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Canadian Soldiers cordoned off an area in a residential neighborhood in Khandahar City to diffuse a bomb that had been located there. During the cordon and bomb diffusion operation a civilian car breached the perimeter.

The outside of the perimeter had signs posted warning to keep out. The driver of the vehicle ignored the posted signs and shouts and signals from the troops. As a consequence Canadian troops fired and killed one civilian and three others in the car.

After the incident the vehicle was searched and no explosives were found. Since the soldiers feared a suicide bombers, the split second decision was made to fire on the car.

The Afghan National Police is invevstigating the incident. The Afghanistan Government had raised concerns recently over too many civilians being killed.

The newly appointed ISAF Commander, General McChrystal has recently issued new Rules of Engagement, which intend to limit civilian casualties.

I certainly hope that this is not seen as an infraction of this order.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan -- Canadian soldiers have shot and killed an Afghan civilian as his car approached a team diffusing a roadside bomb.

Canadian Forces spokesperson Mario Couture says soldiers had cordoned off an area in a residential neighbourhood of Kandahar city to diffuse the bomb Friday, when a vehicle breached the perimeter at high speed.

Couture says the vehicle ignored signs posted on the Canadian vehicles, shouts, hand signals and warning shots, so two soldiers opened fire. One man was killed and three others in the vehicle wounded.

No explosives were found in the vehicle but Couture says the soldiers feared a suicide bomber and made a difficult, split-second decision.