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Taliban Attack on Canadian 'Model' Village in Afghanistan Fails

by Rob Walker | July 14, 2009 at 06:39 am

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Taliban insurgents tried - and failed - to attack a village in Afghanistan that is serving as a Canadian model for a new way of life in the embattled country.

A suicide bomber blew up his vehicle at an Afghan National Army outpost and a firefight erupted between armed insurgents and Canadian-trained Afghan army members. While Canadian soldiers were on site, they left the fighting up to the Afghans, who repelled the attack.

The village of Deh-e-Bagh is meant to show how reconstruction and employment prospects can be an alternative to insurgency.

A suicide bomber blew up his vehicle at an Afghan National Army outpost outside the village of Deh-e-Bagh, south of the city of Kandahar, on Monday night, and a firefight ensued with armed insurgents.
Canadian soldiers mentoring the Afghan soldiers were on site, but none were injured. A Canadian military official says they did not engage in the Afghan army's firefight with the attackers.

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Uwe Paschen

at 08:06 on July 14th, 2009

I am glad that failed. I just wish the model would become the standard.

Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

at 09:23 on July 14th, 2009

It's been the strategy all along to build up Afhanistan Security forces and Police. To this end Opeational Mentor and Liaison Teams (OMLT) have been working for some time with the ANA. This has been successful. On the police side a lot of work is still needed with Police Operationsal Mentor Liaison Teams (POMLT).

Sadly we don't hear about a lot of these projects, including the work of Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRT).

If the conflict in Afghanistan is to succeed a three-dimensional approach is required. It means securing the area, reconstructing and allowing aid to flow from both UN organizations and NGOs.