As Taliban Blitz retakes the blockbuster Afghanistan At an alarming new rate, a general who commanded the Canadian army there said that what was happening was a “painful moment” for those who served in the conflict and lost their loved ones.
“Considering how much blood, hard work and effort we have put into this task, it is heartbreaking to see this scene,” said the retired major general. David Fraser in an interview with Global News.
“We did what we were asked to do. We were buying time. We can’t win this war on our own. But seeing it disintegrate so quickly after the U.S. withdrawal — not all of their troops have been withdrawn Out-this is really shocking, I think it is a surprise for everyone.
“But it also shows the determination of the Taliban leaders and the lack of determination of the Afghan leaders to do something for their country.“
Fraser commanded thousands of NATO troops in southern Afghanistan, including in Kandahar, which was attacked by the Taliban on Thursday along with the country’s third largest city, Herat.
He also led Operation Medusa, a key offensive campaign in 2006 that marked Canada’s largest combat operation since the Korean War, and wrote a book on strategic advancement.
Fraser said he still remembers everyone he lost during his leadership of the army—35 Canadians, 79 members of the broader coalition combat task force. When asked what he would now say to the families of those who died in service and those who died in the war, he did not hesitate.
“You did what you were asked to do. The politician sent you, but you gave your heart and soul, trying to provide hope and opportunity to those who have no hope and opportunity-we take it for granted,” he Say.
“Unfortunately, it is not your fault that we are at this stage. All political politicians will have to look at themselves and take responsibility for what they did or did not do,” he continued.
“I think each of us will ask ourselves a question in the next few years: Is it worth it?”
The Taliban’s week-long blitz meant that the insurgent group now controls 12 of the 34 capital cities, and after months of escalating concerns about its rapid development.
It is estimated that approximately 65% of the country is now under the control of the Taliban, and the race to evacuate Afghan interpreters and their families has reached a climax, but the fate of many is still unclear as the special forces are part of the evacuation of the Canadian Embassy . staff.
As Global News reported on Thursday evening, some Afghans working for Canada and their families are currently in a compound in Canada, hoping to be rescued with Canadian citizens.
Sources said that the shelter included young children in Afghanistan.
The Canadian government has not yet made a decision on their fate, but multiple sources told Global News that they fear that these families will be executed by the Taliban.
Sources told Global News that the embassy is now “dismantling”, which is an evacuation process that includes handling confidential materials and evacuation of staff.
Sources said that Canadian special operations forces will be deployed and the evacuation of Canadians will begin at its embassy in Kabul.
They told Global News that the Canadian special operations forces that helped evacuate the embassy included the Canadian Special Operations Regiment (CSOR) and Joint Task Force 2 (JTF2), the latter dedicated to elite terrorists and hostage rescue forces.
Robin Rickards, a retired Canadian army corporal, was also part of a grassroots effort to evacuate Afghan interpreters who risked their lives to help the Canadian army. He said that the Taliban’s offensive is now reaching a “violent climax,” and it is time for those who are still on the ground to flee.
Thousands of people are now internally displaced, he told Global News Radio that this may provide an opportunity for those facing Taliban retaliation to hide in the fleeing crowd.
“There is really no good choice at this stage, especially if the runway in Kabul starts to be damaged,” he said, referring to the country’s capital.
He called the current recovery “disheartening.”
A total of 165 Canadians died during the war in Afghanistan, and since the first deployment of troops in 2002, more than 2,000 members of the Canadian military have been injured or injured during their service. On September 11, 2001, the terrorist attack launched by Al-Qaida killed nearly 3,000 people in New York City.
According to the organization, Afghans helping Canada are stranded at Kabul Airport due to passport regulations
The Taliban regime supports al-Qaeda. The country’s vast mountainous areas provide a refuge for terrorists, prompting the United States, the United Nations and NATO to promote military operations to ensure that the country does not become a safe haven for terrorists-al-Qaeda.
This military operation also extensively tried to provide the fledgling Afghan government established after the Taliban defeated the Taliban with the tools and capabilities to build a democratic and stable country without the strict civil restrictions imposed by extremists on women and girls. group.
Nearly $1 trillion has been spent on this goal, but 20 years later, the United States has decided to withdraw its troops with almost no obvious transition plan. This has created a huge gap that Afghan security forces have so far been unable or unwilling to fill. Taliban in the Gulf.
Ben Wallace Frankly speaking about this decision on Friday, Calling the U.S. withdrawal a “mistake” and warning that “the international community may bear the consequences.”
The Biden administration said on Friday morning End the mission without regret.
US Presidential Press Secretary Jen Psaki (Jen Psaki) said on Wednesday that it is up to the Afghan security forces to decide whether to fight back.
“Ultimately, the Afghan National Security Defense Force has the equipment, numbers and training to counterattack,” she said in the briefing. “They have what they need. What they need to determine is whether they have the political will to fight back, and whether they have the ability to unite—to fight back as a leader. This is where it currently stands.”
Deputy Prime Minister Christia Freeland said on Friday that Canada still opposes “the formation of a new government by force.”
Documents from David Lao and Mercedes Stephenson of Global.
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