KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Dec. 5 (UPI) -- Canadian troops are taking part in a new offensive in southern Afghanistan, their commander says.
Operation Baawar, which is Pashto for "assurance," is targeting a region of Kandahar province called the Horn of Panjwaii, Lt.-Col. Michel-Henri St.-Louis told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. It is expected to be the last major operation by Task Force Kandahar, which is to withdraw next year.
The area, west of Kandahar City, is where "all the bad people are," Lt.-Col. Maurice Poitras, senior operations officer, told Postmedia News.
American and Afghan forces have secured the formerly Taliban-controlled area in recent months. Now Canadian forces will move in with the Afghans and U.S. backup to secure the region, village by village.
The push comes at "the people's request," said Brig.-Gen. Ahmad Habibi, commander of the Afghan brigade that is leading the engagement. "Now, with the insurgents, they are not letting kids go to school," he told Postmedia.
"We really need to get close to the people there and assure them that we're staying there long-term," said Canadian Brig.-Gen. Dean Milner.
