Sig SG-550 Sniper Rifle
This might be the one they use
Posted on 03/14/2002 3:31:29 AM PST by Clive
OTTAWA -- Canadian snipers have shot dead an undisclosed number of al-Qaida and Taliban fighters who refused to surrender, the deputy chief of defence said.
Vice-Admiral Greg Maddison said the 500 Canadian troops who headed into Afghanistan's mountains yesterday to find more fighters have orders to kill those who resist.
"If they don't surrender and begin to engage our people, we will engage them."
Maddison said that during the U.S.-led Operation Anaconda, 10 Canadian soldiers, including elite commandos from Joint Task Force 2, joined the ground effort to find al- Qaida and Taliban fighters.
Six Canadian sharpshooters provided cover for soldiers sweeping the area and shot an undisclosed number of fighters. The U.S. reported about 100 enemy deaths in that mission.
"These sniper teams suppressed enemy mortar and heavy machine-gun positions with deadly accuracy," Maddison said.
"Once the Taliban had been neutralized, they carried on forward to the objective. Their skills are credited with likely having saved many allied lives."
Canadian Lt.-Col. Pat Stogram is commanding the 100 U.S. and 500 Canadian soldiers in Operation Harpoon, which began yesterday.
The troops are on a mountain range heavily bombed earlier by B-52s to stifle fire from fighters in caves. Canadian snipers will provide cover on the two-day mission.
Although no Canadian casualties have been reported, Maddison said "the risks are high."
This is the largest combat mission Canadian Forces have fought since the Korean War.
In God We Trust.....Semper Fi
Sig SG-550 Sniper Rifle
This might be the one they use
DUDLEY'S PACKIN'! Who knew? <|:)~
Admit it, they're in Afghanistan to escape the harsh Canadian winter.
;-)
The snipers are part of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. They call themselves the "Patricias".
JTF2 is a Special Forces unit with a different task.
BTW: I was listening to a program the other day in which Maj. Gen. Lew MacKenzie (Ret.) was pointing out that contrary to some press reports re our guys going to Afghanistan equipped only with Euopean camo, that forces from other countries were wearing green but that the Patricias were the only unit that had loaded winter white gear and winter equipment.
BTW: While long range rifle accuracy is a part of a sniper's job, a more important part is recce. This involves being able to take cover, blend into the terrain and stay put in the open for days, becoming virtually invisible by staying still even under adverse conditions.
Go Canada!
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