MacKay unhurt in rocket attack on Afghan base
Updated Tue. Nov. 6 2007 11:55 AM ET CTV.ca News Staff
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Two Taliban rockets struck a forward operating base west of Kandahar Tuesday during a visit by Defence Minister Peter MacKay.
MacKay was conducting private meetings at Forward Operating Base Wilson, about 20 kilometres west of Kandahar city, when the attack occurred.
After the first rocket landed around 11 a.m. local time, Mackay was taken into an armoured vehicle for safety.
"It's a very small base and MacKay was somewhere inside, we don't know exactly how far he was from the impact site," The Globe and Mail's Graeme Smith told CTV Newsnet from Kandahar Air Field.
"He was not hurt and he was choppered away back to Kandahar Air Field shortly afterwards."
About 15 minutes after the first attack, another rocket landed about 50 metres away from passing soldiers and reporters. Four soldiers suffered minor injuries from the second rocket.
"Typically, the Taliban don't have the kind of aiming devices needed to score a very direct hit on a very small target so the Taliban either got very lucky or were very successful today," said Smith.
Smith said it was unclear if the Taliban had any idea about MacKay's visit.
"The defence minister's presence might have been announced by the fact that there were helicopters landing at this small, little base," he said.
Back at Kandahar Air Field, MacKay described the attack to reporters.
"There was an explosion. It was a loud bang," said MacKay. "When it happened, we heard the explosion, we heard the whistle overhead, we were told to get down and we did."
Colonel Stephane Lafaut, commander of the Canadian Operational Mentor Liaison Team, said the attack shows how desperate the Taliban have become since coalition forces have limited their movement in the region.
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Updated Tue. Nov. 6 2007 11:55 AM ET CTV.ca News Staff
Article Link
Video Link
Two Taliban rockets struck a forward operating base west of Kandahar Tuesday during a visit by Defence Minister Peter MacKay.
MacKay was conducting private meetings at Forward Operating Base Wilson, about 20 kilometres west of Kandahar city, when the attack occurred.
After the first rocket landed around 11 a.m. local time, Mackay was taken into an armoured vehicle for safety.
"It's a very small base and MacKay was somewhere inside, we don't know exactly how far he was from the impact site," The Globe and Mail's Graeme Smith told CTV Newsnet from Kandahar Air Field.
"He was not hurt and he was choppered away back to Kandahar Air Field shortly afterwards."
About 15 minutes after the first attack, another rocket landed about 50 metres away from passing soldiers and reporters. Four soldiers suffered minor injuries from the second rocket.
"Typically, the Taliban don't have the kind of aiming devices needed to score a very direct hit on a very small target so the Taliban either got very lucky or were very successful today," said Smith.
Smith said it was unclear if the Taliban had any idea about MacKay's visit.
"The defence minister's presence might have been announced by the fact that there were helicopters landing at this small, little base," he said.
Back at Kandahar Air Field, MacKay described the attack to reporters.
"There was an explosion. It was a loud bang," said MacKay. "When it happened, we heard the explosion, we heard the whistle overhead, we were told to get down and we did."
Colonel Stephane Lafaut, commander of the Canadian Operational Mentor Liaison Team, said the attack shows how desperate the Taliban have become since coalition forces have limited their movement in the region.
More on link
