Axed Canadian

Axe Attack Highlights Resentment

Shocking assault on a Canadian soldier reflects wider sense of anger many Afghans feel about the foreign troop presence in the south.

By Abdullah Shahin in Kandahar (ARR No. 211, 14-Apr-06)

Shinkay is a small, poor village in the volatile southern province of Kandahar and is little known outside the region. But one warm spring day in early March it became famous.

Around 45 people were gathered under trees in Shinkay, listening intently to a group of foreign visitors. Captain Trevor Greene, 41, was part of a team of soldiers that meets regularly with villagers across Kandahar province, trying to find out what their concerns and needs are.

The Canadians took over from United States troops ensuring security in Kandahar in February.

As a gesture of respect, Captain Greene had removed his military helmet, and sat unprotected among the Afghans. Suddenly, a thin youth sneaked up behind him and brought an axe down on his bare head.

The attacker was quickly gunned down by Canadian soldiers. He was later identified as Abdul Karim, just 16 years old.

Greene spent two weeks in hospital in Germany. He is now back home in Canada, and is expected to make a full recovery.

The incident highlights the strong emotions felt by many Afghans under what they see as a hostile foreign occupation.

Immediately after the attack, the questions swirled: Was Abdul Karim a Taleban insurgent? Was he mentally ill? Were the other villagers complicit in the attack?

The Canadian military initially said that the attack was part of a well-planned ambush.

�This attack has had a very negative effect on our mission,� said Lieutenant-Colonel Ian Hope, who heads the Canadian task force in Kandahar. "We have launched an investigation into the case, and we want to get complete information about the attacker.�

But Captain Julie Roberge, spokesperson for the Canadian forces, told IWPR that this assessment has since changed, �We do not think there was a plan, but we will continue to investigate."

Shinkay residents, including people close to the assailant, say that the attack was a protest by a young boy outraged at the behaviour of foreign troops, particularly the Americans.

�The foreigners themselves make people stand against them,� said Tela Mohammad, a village elder, who introduced himself as a close relative of the attacker. �Abdul Karim was not linked to the Taleban, nor did he know anything about any factions or groups.�

According to Haji Mohammad Esa, a resident of the Shah Wali Kot district where Shinkay is located, Abdul Karim was a quiet boy, the son of a poor cobbler in the village.

�Karim was always alone. He didn't have much contact with the other villagers,� said Esa. �We were all surprised when he suddenly attacked the soldier. But I think the main reason he did it was because he was angry at the foreign troops.�

The Canadians have had a difficult time since they took from the Americans.

There are now more than 2,200 troops from Canada in Kandahar province, and they are increasingly coming under attack. Over 20 Canadian soldiers have died in Afghanistan, two of them in the weeks immediately preceding the attack on Greene.

The residents of Shah Wali Kot do not make a distinction between the Canadians and soldiers from the United States. In fact, villagers say, the Canadians are now beginning to behave like the more aggressive US troops.

�We have gone to see the Canadians in Kandahar several times,� said Esa. �We have asked them to have more respect for our culture and beliefs, but they don't.�

Villages like Shinkay have been the target of intensive searches by the US-led Coalition Forces in the area, who are tasked with finding and stamping out the insurgency. Even military insiders say privately that the American forces are sometimes overzealous in their efforts.

�US troops do not show proper respect for our culture and religious beliefs,� said Esa. �They enter homes without permission and disturb people, which makes people hate them.�

�When US troops come to a house, they do not even let the owner open the door,� said Ghulam Mohammad, another villager. �They just break down the door and enter the house. That has made people very upset.�

The Taleban, for their part, put pressure on local residents not to cooperate with Coalition forces. This leaves Afghans caught between two opposing sides.

�Our village has been searched more than 40 times over the past four years,� said Esa. �Foreigners accuse us of being Taleban and al-Qaeda. The Taleban and al-Qaeda accuse us of having links to the government. We do not know what we are being punished for.�

This uneasiness in the face of conflicting forces may explain one of the most perplexing features of the case. The media made much of the fact that all of the children had been led away to their homes right before the attack, bolstering the theory that the villagers had prior knowledge of the violence.

But Ghulam offered another reason, saying, �The Taleban have warned us many times that helping foreigners is helping our enemies. We are afraid of foreigners when they come to visit us, because they bring the Taleban in their wake. When foreigners come here, we try to keep our children at home, because we fear the Taleban.�

Like Esa, Ghulam said that Abdul Karim was acting alone.

�He was acting on his own feelings,� said Ghulam. �If he'd had links with the Taleban or al-Qaeda, they would have given him weapons. He wouldn't have had to use an axe.�

Afghan officials in Kandahar declined to be interviewed on the incident.

Despite the problems and the dangers, Lt-Col Hope says his troops are determined to continue efforts to better the lives of ordinary Afghans.

�The enemy wants to worsen the living condition of poor people,� he said. �But the Canadian soldiers will fulfill the promise they made to the Afghan government.� ---->iwpr.net

Seems like the canadians are set to pickup where the US left off. Anyhow the outlook doesnt seem to be good.

Also one can deduce a moral from the story; if u have a helmet dont take it off while in afghanistan, also be weary of wood cutters, 16 yr olds and people on motorbikes and cars and donkeys and those wearing turbans.

Edited by malizai_

I only see the negative influence of elders on the 16 year old...who was  11-12 when the war has begun,

I personally think that the kid acted on impulse, and was not willing to forgo some displeasure that he had been caused.  I dont think he had reached yet the age of pragmatism and had yet to master the art of dealing with intrigues, like his elders.

However, I think the boy has done more than stick that axe in the head of the canadian, especially having thereafter been shot and killed.. I think the fact that a boy has done this in the presence of grown men, will leave a bitter taste in the mouths of those men having been outdone by a child and attained martyrdom.

Gharanai,

I think it will be exaggerated to think that all pushtun think of the americans as hostile invaders least of all the feudal tribal elders whos power had all but finished at the hands of the taliban, having been  replaced with influential clergy. Each tribal leader has its own views and its own interests close to its heart. Some act for the betterment of their tribe, others for their self. the tribesmen will have to follow thier leader regardless of their personal opinion. The problem for the forces arise when to some tribes the foreign influence becomes disadvantageous vis a vis other tribes or in general. As for any personal vendettas arising from loss of face and indignation etc.. at the hands of foreigners, then the right of retribution of the person offended is independent of the elders. The same can  be extended to the tribe itself. But this is not likely to result in a mass uprising as long as the foreigners are not meddling in their daily affairs. 

Malizai you nasty Taliban you, quoting from

http://www.iwpr.net/?p=arr&s=f&o=261075&apc_stat e=henparr#

I don't think you understand Canadians, learn your history. Terrorists based out of Afghanstan have killed thousands in the West and there is a strong resolve to see that never happens again. If, as it seems, you believe that Afghanstan will once again become a haven for terrorists, you're the one who's mistaken.

And you're still spouting what I consider to be propaganda "They must not let their guard down. They are floating in a sea of hostility". Sounds to me like you're singlehandedly declaring war on Canada.

Originally posted by SearchAndDestroy Now I don't support anyone "getting axed", but I don't understand why it was done on a Canadian. If the article says things are getting hostile because the way the Americans treat them, then why kill another country who seems to be trying to treat you on fair grounds, even putting his guard down to show respect to the people. I love how Gharanai praises this idiot too. The kid wasn't exactly bright, was his idea to attack the guy who shows more respect then the others? I don't know, usually heroes actually show some smarts or go out of their way to do something right for their people. When a action this kid did happens, it's usually considered idiotic. What he did won't help his people, it's just going to make where he lives more stricter by an Army that seemed willing to go down to these peoples eye level instead of acting on a high horse and being rude and more policing and less willing to talk to the people.

IMO malizai and others are just trying to justify the killing of Canadians who are in Afghanistan as part of a U.N. sanctioned multinational force to bring peace to the country. Whatever their motivation is to portrait this attacker as a hero only they really know, but I don't believe it has anything to do with concern for the Afghan people. This whole thread is a load of cr*p.

Originally posted by DukeC I don't think you understand Canadians, learn your history.

 

Whatever! To be honest it is not an area of interest to me, unlike tribal societies as in Afghanistan, surrounding regions and the caucases.

Originally posted by DukeC  If, as it seems, you believe that Afghanstan will once again become a haven for terrorists, you're the one who's mistaken.

 

There has been no discussion of such. But since u mention it, the region has not yet ceased to become a haven. You seem to wrongly assume that it has for it to become "once again".

Originally posted by DukeC And you're still spouting what I consider to be propaganda "They must not let their guard down. They are floating in a sea of hostility". Sounds to me like you're singlehandedly declaring war on Canada.

It is ur opinion and u r entitled to it. Frankly, i dont care.  I have layed out the reasons for the post and am not going to elaborate any further. You want to defend Canada, fine, but do it elsewhere, since Canada and Canadians have not been attacked here, not by me anyway.

Originally posted by Gharanai Now I ask you to know your history (oh sorry I ment British history) and if you had some time try to read some about Russians as well, then come up with proves that your ARMY is better in any way than the might of those two Empires. Then I guess we could talk about your comment .

 

Learn your history, the Canadians have a reputation as some of the best close quarters fighters in the world. It's all that hockey we play I guess. We take war a lot more personally than the Americans, and I doubt many Canadians will be taking their Kevlar off or letting their guard down around Afghanis anymore. It's a shame really because we aren't there to enforce Imperialism as you seem to believe but to bring some sort of stability to a country that deserves it as much as any other place in the world. Painting the Canadians as some sort of surogate Americans is simplifying the situation out of all perspective. Talk to me about this later in the fall (after the summer capaign season) and tell me your impression of what Canadians are capable of and I guarentee you your view will be different. The sad thing is there'll be a lot of dead people on both sides by that time.

Edited by DukeC

Originally posted by Gharanai Well, I agree that the Kid was not soo bright and was too young for this action. I only talked about his courage I mean how many 16 year old Canadians who could you name who served there lives for the Nation???

 

He didn't serve his life for his nation, he let some immoral cowards like the Taleban are talk him into throwing his life away.

Originally posted by DukeC It's a shame really because we aren't there to enforce Imperialism as you seem to believe but to bring some sort of stability to a country that deserves it as much as any other place in the world. Painting the Canadians as some sort of surogate Americans is simplifying the situation out of all perspective.

Dear DukeC,
I you go through my other posts you will find that I have always appreciated and mentioned the sincere and cordial service of Canadians to our Nation, and I have never equalized them with the Americans and as usual I would say that the nations who in real means are helping Afghans are Germany, Japan, Canada and some other of ISAF member nations.

The problem is that I as an educated Afghan may understand the difference between Americans and Canadians but how in the world is a resident of a rural area who even don't know much about is own country, goint to differenciate Canadians from the Americans. For them all of the foriegners are one and they are the people who have accupied their nation.