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29 Oct 11: MCPL Byron Greff, 3PPCLI, R.I.P.

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I hate to be the bearer of sad news, but:

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2011/10/29/afghanistan-taliban-kabul-attack.html?cmp=rss

A Canadian soldier and 12 American troops, as well as four Afghans, were killed in a suicide car bombing on the outskirts of Kabul on Saturday.

The Canadian military confirmed the death to CBC News following initial statements from a U.S. official that all 13 NATO casualties were Americans.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, in which a suicide bomber detonated explosives near Darulaman Palace, the bombed-out seat of former Afghan kings.

Afghan officials said three Afghan civilians and one policeman were killed by the bomber.

An Associated Press reporter on the scene said that NATO and Afghan forces had sealed off the area.

Two NATO helicopters landed to airlift casualties.

The back end of a NATO bus appeared to have been blown apart and was turned into a charred shell.

"A suicide bomber car targeted a convoy of coalition forces, there are casualties among civilians and coalition troops," said Kabul's police chief, General Mohammad Ayub Salangi, at the scene.
The attack occurred near Darulaman Palace, the bombed-out seat of former Afghan kings on the southwest outskirts of Kabul. Here, Afghans play football in front of the destroyed Darulaman Palace in this 2008 file photo.

The Taliban claim of responsibility came shortly after the attack in a text message to media outlets.

It was the deadliest of two attacks in the day that targeted either the U.S.-led coalition or Afghan government offices in the country.

Earlier Saturday, a female suicide bomber blew herself up as she tried to attack a local government office in the capital of Kunar province, a hotbed of militancy in northeast Afghanistan along the Pakistan border.

Abdul Sabor Allayar, deputy provincial police chief, said the guards outside the government's intelligence office in Asad Abad became suspicious of the woman and started shooting, at which point she detonated her explosives.

There were no other casualties in that attack.

Afghan and U.S.-led coalition forces conducted operations earlier this month, killing more than 100 insurgents in an effort to curb violence in rugged areas of Kunar where the coalition and Afghan government have a light footprint.

Farther south along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, Afghan and coalition forces captured two leaders of the Haqqani network and two other suspected insurgents in Sarobi district of Paktika province, the coalition said.

Haqqani fighters, who are affiliated with the Taliban and al-Qaeda, are heavily rooted in Paktika and neighbouring Paktia and Khost provinces.

One of the captured leaders provided insurgent fighters with funding, weapons, supplies and hideouts, and the other coordinated attacks against Afghan forces, the coalition said.



 
Sad news, thoughts and prayers for the families, friends and comrades of not only the Canadian soldier, but the American and Afghan soldiers as well.
 
Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan
Hamid Shalizi, Reuters
copy at: http://www.winnipegsun.com/2011/10/29/four-killed-in-kabul-suicide-bomb-attack



A suicide car bomber killed 13 NATO troops, including one Canadian, in the Afghan capital Kabul on Saturday, the deadliest single ground attack against the NATO-led force in 10 years of war in Afghanistan.

“We can confirm that 13 International Security Assistance Force members have died,” said a spokesman for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Kabul, giving no further details.

Defence department spokesperson Lt.-Col. Christian Lemay confirmed with QMI Agency a Canadian was among the soldiers killed in the blast.

A Pentagon spokesman later confirmed 12 soldiers killed were American.

Three civilians and a police officer were also killed in the attack on a convoy of military vehicles, a spokesman for the Afghan interior ministry said.

Excluding aircraft crashes, it was the deadliest single incident for foreign troops since the war began in 2001...............
 
.......Officials have not yet released the soldier's identity.

A senior Canadian military officer told The Canadian Press that the soldier's family has been notified, but has yet to authorize the release of the person's name.....

From the most current Canadian Press article

 
Condolences to the family, colleagues and friends of all the fallen  :salute:

A bit more detail from the National Post:
A Canadian soldier was killed in a suicide car-bomb attack on a military convoy in the Afghan capital of Kabul that claimed the lives of over a dozen NATOtroops on Saturday.

“We are in contact with the family as we speak to support them in the best of our ability in this difficult time,” said Lt-Col. Chris Lemay, a Canadian military spokesperson.

“This was an administrative move between two camps. Our Canadian Forces member was on a bus between two camps. He was being transferred from one camp to another,” he adds.

U.S. officials said earlier that 13 American troops operating under NATO were also killed.

Three civilians and one policeman were also killed in the attack claimed by the Taliban, who have been waging a 10-year insurgency against foreign forces and the Western-backed government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai ....

Edited to add:  Taliban claims responsibility for attack (links to Army.ca forum post)
 
Shared with the usual caveats.  http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2011/10/29/afghanistan-taliban-kabul-attack.html

I am sorry to see this story.  RIP troops.  :yellow:

A suicide car bombing on the outskirts of Kabul killed 17 people Saturday, including a Canadian soldier and four other NATO troops.  The Canadian military confirmed the death to CBC News but would not release the soldier's name or hometown.  Armed Forces spokesman Lt.-Col. Christian Lemay said the Canadian soldier's family has been contacted and is being offered support. The identity of the soldier will be released later Saturday, he said.  The death is the first since Canadian combat operations in Kandahar ended earlier this year and a new training mission, involving 920 soldiers, began.

Saturday's blast killed a total of five NATO troops, eight civilian contractors for the NATO mission and four Afghans. U.S. officials had initially said all 13 NATO personnel were American soldiers.  The Taliban claimed responsibility for sending the suicide bomber, who rammed his vehicle into a heavily armoured NATO bus that had been travelling between bases in Kabul, setting off about 700 kilograms of explosives near Darulaman Palace, the bombed-out seat of former Afghan kings.  The Afghan dead included three civilians and one policeman.

2nd attack same day 

An Associated Press reporter on the scene said that NATO and Afghan forces had sealed off the area. Two NATO helicopters landed to airlift casualties. 
The back end of a NATO bus appeared to have been blown apart and was turned into a charred shell.  "A suicide bomber car targeted a convoy of coalition forces, there are casualties among civilians and coalition troops," said Kabul's police chief, General Mohammad Ayub Salangi, at the scene.  A NATO convoy was the target of the bombing, which killed a Canadian, 12 Americans and four Afghans.A NATO convoy was the target of the bombing, which killed a Canadian, 12 Americans and four Afghans. Omar Sobhani/Reuters

The Taliban claim of responsibility came shortly after the attack in a text message to media outlets.  The militant group said the bomber, Abdul Rahman, was driving a Toyota Land Cruiser SUV containing the explosives.  It was the deadliest of two attacks in the day that targeted either the U.S.-led coalition or Afghan government offices in the country. 
Earlier Saturday, a female suicide bomber blew herself up as she tried to attack a local government office in the capital of Kunar province, a hotbed of militancy in northeast Afghanistan along the Pakistan border.

Abdul Sabor Allayar, deputy provincial police chief, said the guards outside the government's intelligence office in Asad Abad became suspicious of the woman and started shooting, at which point she detonated her explosives.  There were no other casualties in that attack. 

Troops on training mission at risk

When it announced almost a year ago that Canada would undertake a training mission until 2014, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government insisted that troops would be safe because instruction would take place behind the wire of fortified bases.  But Kabul has become an increasing focus for spectacular Taliban attacks, including a 20 hour shoot-out near NATO's main headquarters and the U.S. Embassy last month — a gunfight that involved Canadian troops who'd just arrived at Camp Eggers in a convoy.  Elsewhere in the country, hostilities are still rampant. Afghan and U.S.-led coalition forces conducted operations earlier this month, killing more than 100 insurgents in an effort to curb violence in rugged areas of Kunar where the coalition and Afghan government have a light footprint.  Farther south along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, Afghan and coalition forces captured two leaders of the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani network and two other suspected insurgents in Sarobi district of Paktika province, the coalition said.
With files from The Associated Press and The Canadian Press
 
This from a CF statement:
A Canadian Forces member was killed by a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device while transiting through Kabul as a passenger on an International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) vehicle. The incident took place at approximately 11:30 a.m. (Kandahar time) on October 29, 2011. The incident has resulted in casualties to ISAF personnel.  Killed on operation was Master Corporal Byron Greff from the 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, based in Edmonton, Alberta. He was serving as a mentor and trainer on Operation Attention, the Canadian Forces contribution to the NATO Training Mission in Afghanistan. His role was to advise Afghan National Army trainers who provide recruit training to Afghan soldiers ....
 
Message from His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, on the Death of Master Corporal Byron Garth Greff
My wife, Sharon, and I join Canadians in mourning the loss of Master Corporal Byron Greff who was killed while serving in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Even though our mission has changed to a non-combat role aimed at advancing security, the rule of law and human rights, Canadian Forces members and Canadian civilians face risks every day in the effort to rebuild Afghanistan.

Master Corporal Byron Garth Greff was devoted to our new role of providing training and professional development to the Afghan National Security Forces, answering the call to service with great integrity and courage. This sacrifice will not be forgotten.

Canadians are united in sorrow at the death of one of ours. Our thoughts are with the family, loved ones and comrades-in-arms of Master-Corporal Greff, to whom we offer our deepest condolences.

Statement by the Prime Minister of Canada on the death of Master Corporal Byron Garth Greff
"On behalf of Canadians and of the Government of Canada, I would like to offer my most sincere condolences to the family and friends of Byron Garth Greff, who died while serving in Afghanistan.

“Master Corporal Greff paid the ultimate price serving his country. His life and death serves as an example of the bravery and outstanding dedication of Canadian Armed Forces members on this mission.

“Canada and its allies in this UN-sanctioned, NATO-led mission are helping the people of Afghanistan rebuild and redevelop their country after decades of war and turmoil.

“The Government of Canada is particularly proud of the incredible work being performed by our Canadian Armed Forces members in Afghanistan.  We are committed to supporting them as they forge ahead towards the international goal of creating a lawful, democratic and self-sufficient Afghanistan."

Statement By The Minister Of National Defence On The Death Of Master Corporal Byron Garth Greff
The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, issued the following statement today on the death of a Canadian soldier in Afghanistan:

“I am deeply saddened by the loss of Master Corporal Byron Garth Greff. MCpl Greff died in Afghanistan today when insurgents attacked the vehicle in which he was traveling.

My heartfelt condolences and prayers go to his family, friends and comrades. The Defence family mourns with you during this difficult time.

Canada is in Afghanistan at the request of the democratically elected Afghan government and is a partner in a United Nations-mandated, NATO-led mission to bring peace and stability to the Afghan people. We remain committed to training the Afghan National Security Forces so that Afghans can provide the security needed to build a better and brighter future for Afghans.

MCpl Greff gave his life while proudly serving Canada and bringing hope to a population that has seen hardship and turmoil. We are all saddened by this loss and will remain forever grateful for his service.
 
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