As late as Monday (March 9) there was still confusion about what happened this past Friday when a Canadian Special Forces soldier, Sgt Andrew Joseph Doiron was killed, and three other Canadian soldiers injured, in a “friendly fire” incident in Iraq.
The four soldiers were part of Canada’s training mission in Iraqi and were on an operation in northern Iraq. They had visited the same location earlier and arranged a series of code words for their return that evening, according to the Canadian Armed Forces.
The initial Kurdish reaction to the shooting was that Canadians were at fault and failed to identify themselves, and that’s why they were fired upon..
On Monday, Canada’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Tom Lawson said there were “some akward statements made” by a Kurdish official over the weekend, and said several investigations were being launched into the incident.
Also on Monday, in the House of Commons Question Period, the Official Opposition NDP party called for explanations, and also assurances from the government that the six-month military operation in Iraq, would be discussed in the House, before any extension of the mission was made.
RCI’s Wojtek Gwiazda has a report.
ListenMore information:
Canadian Armed Forces press release – Canadian Armed Forces member killed by friendly fire in Iraq – here
CBC News – Sgt. Andrew Doiron’s death a ‘mistake’ but won’t harm relations with Kurds, general says – here
National Post – Sgt. Andrew Doiron remembered as a fearless ‘man of honour’ after fatal friendly fire incident in Iraq – here
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