Captain Nichola Kathleen Sarah Goddard
was killed in an incident that occurred
approximately 24 kilometres west of Kandahar
at about 6:55 p.m. Kandahar time (10: 25 a.m. EDT)
Wednesday. (CP handout photo/ DND)
Posted on 05/17/2006 1:35:59 PM PDT by Clive
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (CP) - Canada suffered its first female combat death since the Second World War on Wednesday when a woman soldier was killed during fighting with Taliban insurgents in southern Afghanistan, the military said.
Capt. Nichola Goddard, of 1st Royal Canadian Horse Artillery based in Shilo, Man., was killed in action at 6:55 p.m., 24 kilometres west of Kandahar city, a Canadian Forces spokesman said in Kandahar. Her age and hometown were not immediately released.
There has been intermittent fighting in the area since Monday between Afghan government forces and Taliban insurgents.
Members of the Canadian Forces were backing up combined operations of the Afghan national police and army, and were moving against a concentration of Taliban fighters in the Panjwai area at the time, the spokesman said.
The spokesman had initially said she was the first Canadian female combat death, but determined later that other women had died in battle during the First and Second World Wars. A Department of National Defence official confirmed later that she was the first Canadian female soldier to die in combat since the Second World War.
Goddard was the 17th Canadian killed in Afghanistan since 2002 - one diplomat and 16 soldiers, including four who died in the friendly-fire bombing by a U.S. warplane.
Fighting in the Panjwai area has stopped for now but the operation will continue on Thursday, the spokesman said.
"It's a hard day but it's also a day of achievement," said Canadian Gen. David Fraser, commander of the multinational brigade based in Kandahar. Fraser said there were "significant" Taliban casualties in the battle and a number of Taliban members were captured.
Coalition aircraft had provided support during the operation, the military said.
In Ottawa, Prime Minister Stephen Harper told the House of Commons about the soldier's death.
"Today, we suffered a combat casualty in Afghanistan," Harper said. "I have the name of a female officer who was killed in combat action against Taliban forces."
"These are always terrible tragedies," the prime minister said.
"I don't know if this is a first, a female combat death. It's certainly not a first that we ever want to celebrate, but it does underscore the tremendous courage that our young men and women show in our theatre and I believe that they have the right at all times to know that those of us who sent them into combat stand behind them."
Canada has about 2,200 troops in Afghanistan, most of them in Kandahar, as part of an international effort to help the Kabul government assert its authority and fight Taliban insurgents who have been engaging the U.S.-led coalition and NATO forces in hostilities in many parts of the country.
Kandahar, in the south, is regarded as a hotbed of insurgent attacks and the spiritual home of the extremist Taliban movement.
The Taliban were ousted from power by U.S.-led forces after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. The Taliban regime was blamed for harbouring Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida terrorist organization when it was in power.
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God bless Capt. Nichola Goddard. She died protecting us from the terrorists.
Prayers for her family.
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Prayers for the soul of Capt. Goddard and may God comfort her family and those who loved her. Each of these brave people are such a great loss to us all.
Canadian Forces, in cooperation with the Government of Afghanistan, assist Afghan security forces in the conduct of these operations to rid the region of those insurgents seeking to destabilize the security situation in which the Afghan people live and raise their families.
The Afghan security forces, assisted by Canadians, are succeeding. Preliminary results of this contact indicate that a significant number of Taliban were killed in this action.
Canada's mission in Afghanistan is part of our contribution to the international campaign to help bring stability and security to the people of Afghanistan. The overarching goal is to help the Afghan people achieve peace by preventing their nation from relapsing into a failed state that gives terrorist and terrorist organizations a safe haven.
There are significant risks involved in these operations, but Canadian Forces members are among the best trained, and most experienced soldiers in the world. We are achieving results - we are assisting the Afghan authorities to achieve the results necessary to bring security and stability to this region. And Capt Goddard's death was the price today of ensuring that tens of thousands of men, women and children of Afghanistan can have hope that their future will be brighter.
Sad. The world loses another brave soul, but we all gain a hero.
I Concur. Bless her soul and ease the loss to her family O 'Lord.
God bless Capt. Goddard. Thank you Canada. Another fallen Hero in the constant fight for freedom.
Another sad reminder of the sacrifices young people are making on behalf of us all.
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