Col. Stephane Lafaut (left to right), Col. Francois Riffou and Capt. Bob Colborne get the lay of the land, Nov. 14, 2007, at the strongpoint in Howz-e Madad in Afghanistan. (Bill Graveland/Canadian Press)
Canadian troops in Afghanistan
There are currently three Canadian Forces operations in Afghanistan.
The largest is Operation Athena with 2,500 troops. This is Canada's contribution to NATO's International Security Assistance Force. According to the Canadian Forces, this operation includes:
- A battle group in Kandahar.
- 30 CF members with the Multi-National Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron in Kandahar.
- 300 CF members with the National Command Element in Kandahar.
- 300 CF members in the National Support Element in Kandahar.
- 250 CF members with the Theatre Support Element in southwest Asia.
- Health Service Support personnel at the Multinational Medical Unit at Kandahar airfield.
- The Provincial Reconstruction Team in Kandahar of approximately 250 military and civilian personnel.
Other countries in ISAF:
| Country | Troops |
|---|---|
| Albania | 22 |
| Australia | 550 |
| Austria | 4 |
| Azerbaijan | 22 |
| Belgium | 300 |
| Bulgaria | 200 |
| Croatia | 216 |
| Czech Republic | 89 |
| Denmark | 389 |
| Estonia | 130 |
| Finland | 100 |
| France | 1,900 |
| Macedonia | 130 |
| Germany | 3,000 |
| Greece | 171 |
| Hungary | 159 |
| Iceland | 20 |
| Ireland | 7 |
| Italy | 1,950 |
| Latvia | 40 |
| Lithuania | 115 |
| Luxembourg | 10 |
| Netherlands | 1,700 |
| New Zealand | 130 |
| Norway | 580 |
| Poland | 1,200 |
| Portugal | 150 |
| Romania | 900 |
| Slovakia | 57 |
| Slovenia | 51 |
| Spain | 800 |
| Sweden | 330 |
| Switzerland | 4 |
| Turkey | 1,200 |
| United Kingdom | 7,700 |
| United States | 12,000 |
- Operation Archer, 30 soldiers involved in training and in the transition of security responsibilities to the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police as part of Canada's contribution to the U.S.-led Operation Enduring Freedom.
- Operation Argus, 15 members of the CF called the Strategic Advisory Team, which works with the Afghan government to develop national strategies.
According to Esprit de Corps magazine, an estimated 200 members of the secretive Joint Task Force Two were expected to conduct special forces operations in Afghanistan in 2006.
The number of Canadian soldiers who have served in Afghanistan is more than 13,500.
As of June 2007, 60 Canadian soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan.
Cost of Canada's mission
The military costs for the mission in Afghanistan reached $2.6 billion in March 2007, or nearly $1.3 million per day of the mission. The costs are projected to reach about $4.3 billion by the planned end of the mission in February 2009.
Canada's spending for development in Afghanistan up to May 2006 was $466 million. By 2011, it is expected to reach $1 billion.
The Canadian Forces has spent over $1 million on funeral services for soldiers killed in Afghanistan.
Tim Hortons in Afghanistan
Establishing a Tim Hortons location in Kandahar has cost about $1.1 million for the first 12 months, according to the Department of National Defence.
The Kandahar location serves more than 1,000 cups of coffee a day to more than 7,000 personnel from Canada and other countries.
Other countries involved in ISAF
According to the International Security Assistance Force, there are 31,000 troops from 37 nations involved in the mission. (see table, right).
Troop numbers are based on broad contribution and do not reflect the exact numbers on the ground at any one time.
Local forces in Afghanistan
- Number of members of the Afghan National Police: 55,000.
- Number of members of the Afghan National Army: 30,000.
- Pay given to the ANA: $4 a day.
- Pay given to part-time fighters for the Taliban: between $12 and $14 a day.
MENU
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- Poll: What Afghans think
- Flight Lieut. Christopher Hasler, Distinguished Flying Cross, Q&A
- The controversy over detainees
- Is the country collapsing?
- Experts call for strategy rethink
- Atlantic Canada's role
- CBC-Environics public issues poll
- Canada in Afghanistan
- Timeline of Canada in Afghanistan
- Canada's casualties
- By the numbers
- Joint operations, Canada-U.S.
Full Text
- Government motion on Afghanistan
- February 2008
- Liberal motion on Afghanistan
- February 2008
- Revised government motion
- February 2008
Interactives
Photo galleries
- Soldiers and civilians in the 'new Afghanistan'
- Afghan patrols
- Mountain Thrust
- Afghan offensive
- Road to Martello
- Reporting from Kandahar
People and Places
- Hamid Karzai
- Kabul
- Kandahar
- Mazar e Sharif
- Soldier's diary: Sgt. Russell Storring
- Soldier's diary: Cpl. Brian D. Sanders
Issues
- Afghanistan: Heroin producer to the world
- Improvised Explosive Device
- The women of Afghanistan
- The Taliban
- Afghanistan: Still no peace
- Schools in Afghanistan
Viewpoint
- Bruce Edwards
- Afghan border: Pakistan's struggle with the Taliban
RELATED
External Links
- Rebuilding Afghanistan - Government of Canada
- Operation Athena
- NATO in Afghanistan
- CIA World Factbook, Afghanistan
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Quick Facts
Capital: Kabul
Area: 647,500 km sq. (same size as Manitoba)
Population: 28,513,000 (2004)
Head of State: Hamid Karzai
Unemployment: 78%
GDP (2003): $20 billion US (est.)
Exports to Canada (2003): $618,889
Imports from Canada (2003): $9 million
Median Age: 17.5
Life expectancy at birth: 42.46
Ethnic groups: Pashtun 42%, Tajik 27%, Hazara 9%, Uzbek 9%, Aimak 4%, Turkmen 3%, Baloch 2%, other 4%
(Source: CIA World Fact Book, Government of Canada)