KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - A recent direct fire attack that killed three Canadian soldiers shows the insurgency has become "more sophisticated" and that its "overall strength has improved," Canada's new ambassador to Afghanistan said Friday.
In an interview from Kabul just one day after Ottawa announced his promotion from head of mission at the Canadian Embassy in Afghanistan to ambassador, Ron Hoffmann conceded that the Taliban's changing tactics have become a growing concern over the last six to eight months.
"Its timing has improved, its overall strength has improved, I think it's been able to exact attacks on the Afghan people and of course on the international community that are more sophisticated than we've seen for several years," he said.
"That's obviously something that we have to take very seriously."
His comments come in the wake of a deadly direct fire ambush early Wednesday in the perilous Zhari district of Kandahar province that left Cpl. Andrew Grenon, Cpl. Mike Seggie and Pte. Chad Horn dead and five others wounded.
A report published in the Globe and Mail on Friday said the attack was planned by a high level Taliban leader and involved some 45 top insurgent fighters with sophisticated weaponry, including an 82-millimetre recoilless rifle capable of puncturing Canadian armoured vehicles.
A direct fire attack on a small combat outpost last month in neighbouring Panjwaii district was responsible for the death of Master Cpl. Erin Doyle. It came weeks after nine U.S. soldiers were killed when insurgents tried to overrun an outpost in the northeastern province of Kunar.
Insurgents have also stepped up attacks on both fuel and food convoys in recent months and even waged a massive assault on Kandahar's Sarposa jail in June that freed hundreds of prisoners, including many suspected insurgents.
Three aid workers, including two Canadians, were killed in an ambush last month just south of Kabul and, while direct fire incidents may be increasing, insurgents are certainly still resorting to the use of deadly improvised explosive devices.
They remain a daily threat on Kandahar's main roads and were responsible for the death of three other Canadian soldiers a little more than two weeks ago.
Despite these incidents, and the fact that two-thirds of the Zhari and Panjwaii regions where Canadian troops are most active are too dangerous for development and reconstruction work, Hoffmann said he's confident Canadian troops are adjusting to the change in Taliban tactics.
He also agreed with his predecessor Arif Lalani, who was recently quoted as saying he believed Afghanistan would be a viable state by 2011, the date Canada has set to end its combat role in the country.
Under his leadership, Hoffmann said, Canada will play an increased role in brokering co-operation between Afghanistan and Pakistan both diplomatically and through resources allocated specifically for things like border infrastructure, new technologies and customs officer training.
He will also work to build up government services and institutions which many Afghans remain mistrustful of.
"I think everybody will agree that the high expectations Afghans had in 2001 and 2002 in the early days after the fall of the Taliban have not been realized for a variety of reasons," he said.
"The security situation in part. In part governance that has not moved forward to the degree that I think everybody had hoped for and wanted," he said.
Hoffmann said that has resulted in declining faith in the ability of the Afghan state to deliver services and improve peoples lives.
He said he believes an upcoming Afghan election will see attention refocused on issues of good governance.
"There's a recognition, not only by the Afghan population and the international community, but by the leadership of this country itself, that governance has to improve and service delivery has to be accelerated," he said.
While he wouldn't comment on the impending Canadian federal election, he said the rising Canadian Forces death toll, which is now just shy of 100, isn't likely to affect Canada's resolve to ensure Afghanistan doesn't "fall back into a failed statehood."
