Canadian forces will play an important role in a new NATO offensive launched Tuesday to drive the Taliban out of southern Afghanistan.Canadian armoured vehicles rolled out of Kandahar Airfield in the predawn hours to take part in Operation Achilles, said by the International Security Assistance Force to be the largest multi-national force NATO has fielded in a single operation.
More than 200 soldiers from the CFB Gagetown's Royal Canadian Regiment battalion will join about 4,300 NATO and 1,000 Afghan troops sweeping northern Helmand province to flush out Taliban insurgents, foreign extremists and warlords involved in the opium poppy trade.
The New Brunswick-based Canadians' assignment will be to intercept Taliban fighters moving in or out of Helmand. The Canadians are also to disrupt bands of local insurgents, including drug lords who control the opium trade in the area.
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