Canada threatens to end Kandahar mission

The Nato-led mission in Afghanistan was dealt another blow yesterday when the Canadian Prime Minister announced that his country’s 2,500 troops in Kandahar province in the south could be pulled out next year.

Responding to a recommendation by an independent panel headed by a former Canadian Foreign Minister, Stephen Harper gave warning that unless another alliance country offered 1,000 soldiers to support the fight against the Taleban in Kandahar, he would withdraw his country’s troops.

The threat from Canada, whose troops have played a courageous role and suffered substantial casualties, has coincided with angry exchanges between Western governments and Kabul over President Karzai’s rejection of Lord Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon as the new United Nations super-envoy.

All the Nato countries serving in Afghanistan are believed to have backed his appointment, aware of the desperate need to have a politician with sufficient influence and personality to mastermind the international aid and reconstruction programmes.

Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, yesterday reiterated her support for a “single figure” to coordinate security and expressed regret that Lord Ashdown had not been appointed. “He would have done a superb job,” she said. “The US is sorry that this could not be worked out.”

Mr Harper told a news conference in Ottawa: “For this mission to go forward, achieve its objectives and be successful, we do have the need for a substantial increase in combat troops and particular needs in terms of military equipment. Both of these recommendations [by the panel headed by John Manley, the former Liberal deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister] have to be fulfilled or Canada will not proceed with the mission,” Mr Harper said.

The panel, which published its findings last week, concluded that another Nato nation should send 1,000 troops to Kandahar to allow Canadian units to focus on training Afghan troops. It also demanded more medium-lift helicopters and unmanned aerial reconnaissance vehicles.

Nato troops based in southern Afghanistan, principally the Canadians, British, Americans, Dutch and Danes, have had to engage in full-scale insurgency warfare with the Taleban. Other alliance countries have had an easier role elsewhere in the country. National caveats have prevented them from switching their troops to the hotspots in the south.

Since Canada deployed troops to Kandahar, 78 Canadian soldiers and one diplomat have died. “If Nato can’t come through with that [extra military] help, then I think, frankly, Nato’s own reputation and future will be in grave jeopardy,” Mr Harper said