OP ARCHER

The situation today

As part of Task Force Afghanistan (TFA), approximately 2,300 Canadian Forces personnel are deployed in Afghanistan on the first rotation (ROTO 1) of Canada’s renewed commitment to the international campaign against terrorism, Operation ARCHER. The current commitment consists of two mission components: a Canadian lead multi-national brigade headquarters (Task Force AEGIS) and a Canadian Battle Group (Task Force ORION). On Roto 0, Canada's commitment consisted of a Provincial Reconstruction Team in Kandahar City. This task is still ongoing, but the PRT is now a part of the Canadian BG that shares the same area of operations (AO)

Canadian Brigadier-General David Fraser, Commander of 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (Edmonton, Alta.) is now the Commander of the Canadian-led Multi National Brigade for Regional Command South (MNB RC(South)) in Afghanistan. The majority of personnel at the Multi-National Brigade Headquarters located at Kandahar airfield (KAF) are Canadian, and are deployed for a nine-month period.

At the same time, Canada is also fielding at Kandahar Airfield (KAF) a battle group for two successive six-month rotations. These BGs will incorporate the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) at Camp Nathan Smith, in Kandahar City. Canada has committed to maintain the PRT until February 2007. The first Battle Group to deploy on Op ARCHER was Task Force ORION (primarily based on 1 PPCLI).

With the exception of approximately 85 CF personnel serving with various military and civilian organizations in Kabul and Bagram, all CF assets were consolidated with the closure of Camp Julien (previously the Canadian base of operations in Kabul) and relocated to Kandahar, in the southern region of Afghanistan.

For more information on the closure of Camp Julien, visit: http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/newsroom/view_news_e.asp?id=1831

CF personnel deployed with TFA comprise the following units (all figures approximate):

• Overall 2,300 CF personnel are part of TFA:
  • 200 CF members with the Multi-National Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron (MNB HQ & Sig Sqn) in Kandahar. Constructed primarily from 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group Headquarters and Signal Squadron (1 CMBG HQ and Sig Sqn) Edmonton, however it also includes many professional and dedicated Regular and Reserve Force members from across Canada. It role is to assist Brigadier-General Fraser in accomplishing his mission and provide him and his Staff with the communications necessary to exercise command and control over the MNB RC (South) in Afghanistan.
  • 250 CF members from all over Canada, in Kandahar, who constitute the National Command Element (NCE);
  • 300 CF members, shared primarily between 1 General Support Battalion (1 Gen Sp Bn) and 1 Service Battalion (1 Svc Bn)in Edmonton, with the National Support Element (NSE) in Kandahar;
  • 250 CF members with the Theatre Support Element (TSE) in Southwest Asia;
  • A Battle Group of about 1,000 members in Kandahar Province, primarily from the 1st Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (1 PPCLI) Edmonton, which also includes;
    • soldiers from 2 PPCLI;
    • an engineer squadron from 1 Combat Engineer Regiment (1CER) in Edmonton;
    • an artillery battery from 1 RCHA in Shilo, Man. ;
    • an armoured reconnaissance troop, from 12 RBC in Valcartier, Que. ;
    • a Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) from Western Canada;
    • an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) unit from 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron (THS) in Edmonton;
  • 70 personnel at the coalition hospital at KAF, composed of personnel from 1 Field Ambulance (1Fd Amb) in Edmonton, Alta., and from 1 Canadian field Hospital (1 Can Fd H) in Petawawa, Ont.;
  • About 85 CF personnel also serve in Kabul and Bagram. They are from across Canada and they include:
    • the Special Advisory Team to President Karzai’s government;
    • embedded staff officers at NATO’s International Security Assistance Force Headquarters (ISAF) HQ, U.S. Combined Forces Command - Afghanistan (CFC-A), and the Office of Security and Cooperation – Afghanistan (OSC-A) in Kabul,
    • Embedded staff officers at Combined Joint Task Force 76 (CJTF-76) in Bagram; and
    • A small cadre of CF instructors involved in the training of the Afghan National Army (ANA) Staff at the Canadian Afghan National Training Centre Detachment (C ANTC Det) in Kabul.

Task Force Afghanistan’s mission is to improve the security situation in southern Afghanistan, and play a key role in the transition from the United States (US)-led multinational coalition (known as Operation ENDURING FREEDOM) to NATO leadership. In the southern provinces, like the province of Kandahar, this transition is scheduled for the summer of 2006.

Canada’s renewed military commitment in Afghanistan builds on the success of our peace-support operations to strengthen the security situation.

Detainee Transfer Arrangement

In December 2005, the arrangement for the transfer of detainees between the Canadian Forces and the Ministry of Defence of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan was finalized.

This arrangement establishes the procedures in respect to the transfer of detainees from the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan to Afghan authorities, and reinforces the commitments of both participants to meet their obligations under international law. The arrangement is also consistent with one of Canada's objectives in Afghanistan: to support Afghan authorities in strengthening the institutional capacities of the Afghan government.

For more information on the detainee transfer arrangement visit http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/Operations/archer/agreement_e.asp

The story so far

Operation ARCHER (up to February 2006) On November 29, 2005, Camp Julien, which was the Canadian base of operations in Kabul, officially closed. CF personnel in Afghanistan, were relocated to Kandahar in the southern region of Afghanistan as part of the United States-led campaign against terrorism known as Operation ENDURING FREEDOM (OEF). Canada’s Operation ARCHER and its participation in OEF had two components:

A small cadre of CF instructors involved in training the Afghan National Army in Kabul; and

The deployment of the PRT (originally in August 2005), which is expected to be active until February 2007.

Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) Since August 2005, a Canadian PRT has operated in Kandahar, where it is expected to remain until February 2007. The PRT brings together elements from the Canadian Forces (CF), Foreign Affairs Canada (FAC), the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in an integrated Canadian effort, also known as the All of Government approach.

Under Operation ARCHER, the Canadian contribution to OEF, the PRT reinforces the authority of the Afghan government in Kandahar Province, assisting in the stabilization and development of the region. It monitors security, promotes Afghan government policies and priorities with local authorities, and facilitates security sector reforms.

The PRT is located in Kandahar City with some of its support elements operating from the Kandahar Airfield (KAF). The PRT comprises approximately 200 soldiers, drawn largely from Land Forces Western Area (LFWA) and 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (1 CMBG) based in Edmonton, Alta. The Roto 0 PRT included:

• An infantry company from 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (3 PPCLI);

• An engineer squadron from 1 Combat Engineer Regiment (1 CER);

• A combat service support company from 1 Service Battalion (1 Svc Bn) and 1 General Support Battalion (1 GS Bn);

• Health and medical support from 1 Field Ambulance (1 Fd Amb); and

• Other specialized elements from various CF units across Canada.

(The PRT no longer includes most of these sub-units as the capabilities belong to the BG and are provided as required)

Strategic Advisory Team – Afghanistan (SAT – A) Since September 2005 the Canadian Forces has, on a bi-lateral basis, provided a mixed military-civilian team of 15 strategic planners to assist the Government of Afghanistan. This team is focussed on the provision of planners to Afghanistan's National Development Strategy Working Group and to the Public Administration Reform effort. In both activities the Strategic Advisory Team - Afghanistan (SAT-A) has planners embedded in Government of Afghanistan offices. Their primary role is to work with Afghan counter-parts in the design of the strategic plans necessary to guide the international UN mandated nation-building effort in Afghanistan. In short, the team brings military strategic planning skills to bear on the resolution of complex civil problems.

Chronology of Canadian participation in the campaign against terrorism Since October 2001, Canada has deployed over 20 warships and more than 16,000 sailors, soldiers and air force personnel in the international campaign against terrorism.

Operation APOLLO After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 in New York and Washington, Canada made a significant military commitment to the campaign against terrorism to demonstrate solidarity with our allies and our resolve to improve international security.

On October 8, 2001, the then Minister of National Defence Art Eggleton announced the departure of the first CF units to join the international campaign against terrorism. A Naval Task Group of four ships deployed to the Persian (Arabian) Gulf under Operation APOLLO was deployed. In February 2002, the 3 PPCLI Battle Group commanded by then Lieutenant-Colonel Pat Stogran deployed to Kandahar for a six-month tour of duty that included tasks ranging from airfield security to combat. This mission received airlift support from a Tactical Airlift Detachment, later named the Theatre Support Element (TSE), which was located in Southwest Asia.

For more information on Operation APOLLO visit http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/operations/Apollo/index_e.htm.

Operation ALTAIR Operation ALTAIR, which began in October 2003, consisted of warships deployed individually to operate with U.S. carrier strike groups in the Persian (Arabian) Gulf region. The Halifax-class patrol frigate Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Toronto deployed with the USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group from January to July 2004. In April 2005, HMCS Winnipeg deployed for six months with the 5th Fleet of the United States Navy.

For more information on Operation ALTAIR visit http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/operations/altair/index_e.asp

Operation ATHENA The CF returned to the effort to stabilize and reconstruct Afghanistan in August 2003 under Operation ATHENA, the deployment of a large contingent in Kabul to serve with the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). Of note, from February to August 2004, then Lieutenant-General Rick Hillier commanded ISAF, which comprised at that point some 6,500 troops from 35 countries.

Over five successive six-month rotations since August 2003, Canadian soldiers deployed on Operation ATHENA routinely conducting foot patrols and surveillance missions in the ISAF area of responsibility and co-operated with other ISAF contingents in a variety of missions and projects. Through these activities, the Canadian contingent provided ISAF with key military presence and capability, intelligence, situational awareness, and helped facilitate rebuilding the democratic process for the Afghan National Assembly and Provincial Council elections.

On October 18, 2005, Operation ATHENA ended with the withdrawal of the Canadian reconnaissance squadron from ISAF, and the end of five deployments of CF personnel to the Kabul area since August 2003, when the Canadian government first made a commitment to help the international community maintain a safe and secure environment in and around Kabul.

On November 29, 2005, the last Canadian material assets were moved and shipped out to Kandahar, and Camp Julien was officially handed over to the Afghan Ministry of Defence.

Conclusion

In its participation in ISAF and Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, Canada’s overarching goal in Afghanistan is to prevent it from relapsing into a failed state that gives terrorist and terrorist organizations a safe haven.

Canadian efforts in Afghanistan have contributed significantly to the overall consolidation of peace and the improvement of human security in the region. The next phase of Canadian operations in Afghanistan will continue to help improve the quality of life for the Afghan people, and to ensure that the progress made is sustainable.

While Canada remains committed to the rebuilding of democracy in Afghanistan, there are significant risks involved in these types of operations. Both the Canadian Forces and the Government have demonstrated their preparedness for the ongoing mission in Afghanistan; on 17 May 2006 the House of Commons approved an extension of the mission into 2009.