Minister of Nationwide Defence Anita Anand arrives at a cupboard assembly on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Thursday, March 31, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
OTTAWA --
Canada is extending its army mission in Iraq and the Center East for an additional 12 months.
Defence Minister Anita Anand introduced the 12-month extension on Thursday night, solely hours earlier than the present mandate was set to run out.
It comes whilst Canada has steadily diminished its army footprint within the area as the main focus in Iraq, particularly, has shifted from defeating the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant to countering Iran's rising affect.
The Canadian Armed Forces, which first deployed troops to Iraq in October 2014 as ISIL threatened to take over the nation and neighbouring Syria, beforehand had a excessive of greater than 800 troopers within the area.
The Canadian mission at totally different occasions included fighter jets, transport and surveillance plane, helicopters in addition to army trainers and particular forces troops working alongside Kurdish and Iraqi forces as they fought ISIL.
However the mission has since shrunk in dimension and prominence as considerations about ISIL have been changed with fears about Iran's rising affect in Iraq and the area, and as different crises and threats corresponding to Russia, China and the COVID-19 pandemic have emerged.
Canada in February had solely about 300 Armed Forces members assigned to what's referred to as Operation Influence, with about 250 intelligence, logistics and command workers in Kuwait, 50 trainers in Jordan and Lebanon, and solely a handful of troops in Iraq.
“The Canadian Armed Forces have been working with companions and allies since 2014 to enhance Iraqi safety forces' capabilities,” Anand stated in an announcement.
“The Canadian Armed Forces have additionally been offering coaching and capacity-building help to the Jordanian Armed Forces and the Lebanese Armed Forces.”
The choice to increase Canada's army mission in Iraq comes because the Armed Forces is being requested to contribute further troops and tools in jap Europe in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and because it struggles with personnel shortfall.
It additionally coincides with a political impasse in Baghdad over repeated failures to elect a brand new president and escalating tensions between america and Iran, with the latter having launched ballistic missile assaults within the area in latest weeks.
Bessma Momani, certainly one of Canada's prime Center East consultants on the College of Waterloo, stated the choice to increase the mission comes at a crucial time for Iraq because the nation teeters towards collapse amid a proxy struggle between america and Iran.
Whereas Canada's contribution is basically symbolic at this level, Momani stated, “this isn't a time to tug out. It simply sends all of the improper messages. Iraq's simply method too fragile to tug out in the mean time.”
Canada's mission has largely slipped from public view, nevertheless it has seen its share of controversies over time. These embrace questions on whether or not Canadian troops have been in fight, and considerations concerning the screening of Iraq troops educated by Canada.
The Liberals have been additionally criticized for withdrawing Canadian fighter jets after taking energy in 2015, whereas Canada's partnership with Iraq's Kurdish minority put this nation into an ungainly place when confronted with Kurdish requires independence from Iraq.
One Canadian soldier was killed whereas serving on Operation Influence. Sgt. Andrew Doiron died after Kurdish forces mistakenly shot the Canadian particular forces member. Three different Canadians have been injured within the “pleasant fireplace” incident.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed March 31, 2022.
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