General

Canada’s Afghan training mission to be “Kabul-centric”

Defense Minister Peter MacKay rules out Kandahar presence

Canadian military trainers in Afghanistan will assume their July mission in regional centres outside of Kabul, Defense Minister Peter MacKay said Thursday. “We have looked at a few locations in the nearby region, that is to say in the north, that is in close proximity to Kabul. That would also facilitate the type of training we’re undertaking,” he said. MacKay’s announcement followed a meeting with U.S. Defence secretary Robert Gates. Five regional army centres have requested help, among them Mazar-e Sharif in the north, Heart in the west and Kandahar in the south. However, MacKay emphasized that the government will be “consistent with the parliamentary motion” calling for the end of Canada’s combat role, and that the training mission will not be carried out in Kandahar.

Winnipeg Free Press

Looking for more?

Get the Best of Maclean's sent straight to your inbox. Sign up for news, commentary and analysis.
  • By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
FILED UNDER: