KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Canadian soldiers mentoring the Afghan National Army celebrated a victory Wednesday, after watching their Afghan counterparts carry out a successful anti-insurgency operation.
It's a significant step for the fledgling force and for the Canadians whose eventual exit from this war-torn land, in theory, depends on the Afghan army's ability to take on the responsibility for security.
"It's definitely very important,'' said Maj. Sylvain Gagnon, plans officer for the Canadian Operational Mentor Liaison Teams, which are working with the Afghan army.
"Every step we take toward having them take responsibility of the operation area is a big success for us. Maybe this one operation is not significant for the Canadians back home but every operation that they go forward and plan and execute on their own is a big success.''
Based on intelligence gathered by the Canadians, a company of Afghan infantry crept into the bazaar area of Howz-e-Madad, a village located near a Canadian strongpoint in the dangerous Zhari district west of Kandahar city, around 8 a.m. Wednesday. They were looking for suspected insurgent weapons caches.
By noon the Afghan soldiers had swept through 22 buildings, uncovering weapons and ammunition as well as electronic devices meant for building deadly roadside bombs.
"We have seized... two weapons caches with ammo and some electronic components used to build IEDs,'' Gagnon said. "We've also re-established the freedom of movement along Highway 1 in that area.''
There were no arrests.
It's the first significant operation planned and led by Afghan soldiers during the current rotation, and that is not insignificant.
Like the Afghan National Police today, at one time the Afghan army was mostly feared by the local population.
Untrained, under-staffed, corrupt and out-gunned by the Taliban, they were of little help to NATO efforts, if not an outright hindrance.
Wednesday's mission in Howz-e-Madad was "a significant operation and it was very successful,'' Gagnon said.
There was feedback from the Canadian mentors and backup available, but the ANA conducted this operation, he said.
This group has been in the mentoring program since it began, first under another country and with the Canadians since last May.
Gagnon said he expects to see continued improvements over the next few months. There will have to be.
Canadian forces hope to hand over security in the dangerous Zhari and Panjwaii districts to Afghan national security forces by the end of the year.
"If we have done that, and our plan is successful, then we can use most of our security assets, the battle group troops, to move into other areas of the country,'' said Maj. Eric Landry, chief plans officer for Canada's Joint Task Force Afghanistan.
"Right now what we're doing, is we're doing reconnaissance in other districts away from Zhari and Panjwaii to figure out where we will extend.''
The last time Afghan security forces were left on their own in Zhari and Panjwaii, during the change over of Canadian troops last summer, it did not go well.
Army and police were quickly overrun by Taliban and the two districts hard-fought and hard-won by Canadians in Operation Medusa last autumn were lost. Canadian troops have had to re-establish control this fall.
But the soldiers working with the Afghan army are optimistic.
"We're getting there, we're getting there,'' Gagnon said. "It's small steps. The ANA is still a young army, as per our standards.''
