The NDP is calling for a detailed account of a "friendly fire" incident in Iraq last week that left a Canadian soldier dead and three others injured.
In question period on Monday, NDP Deputy Leader Megan Leslie urged the Conservatives to be more transparent regarding Canada’s military role in Iraq.
Sgt. Andrew Joseph Doiron, 31, was killed and three Special Operations Forces members injured when Iraqi Kurdish fighters opened fire in the town of Erbil on Friday.
On Tuesday, a repatriation ceremony for Doiron will take place at CFB Trenton in Ontario. A motorcade will then transport Doiron’s body to a coroner’s office in Toronto.
Leslie said it is important that Canadians and public officials know what happened before deciding on whether to extend Canada’s military involvement in the U.S.-led coalition war against the Islamic State.
In question period, Defence Minister Jason Kenney called the incident as a tragic case of “mistaken identity,†and said that the government is awaiting the results of three investigations.
“Our troops followed all of the established protocols that they have for several months,†Kenney said, adding the Canadian soldiers were “well within their rules of engagement.â€
Widely conflicted accounts of the circumstances that led to the friendly incident have emerged, raising questions over who is to blame for Doiron’s death.
Kurdish officials say the peshmerga fighters mistakenly opened fire on the Canadians after they showed up unannounced and ignored an order to stay in their vehicle.
Once the Iraqi fighters approached the Canadians, they recognized them, halted fire and began aiding the wounded soldiers.
According to Canada’s Department of National Defence, the soldiers were engaged by Kurdish forces following their return to an observation post behind the frontlines.
But Â鶹´«Ã½ has learned that the Canadian soldiers had already successfully cleared two Kurdish checkpoints and were approached a third unit when they were fired upon.
A senior military source said members of the Canadian Special Forces had communicated with Kurdish fighters earlier on Friday, and arranged to return later in the evening.
A signal, notifying the Kurdish fighters of the Canadians’ approach, was established ahead of time so that they could be seen and heard from a distance, the source said.
Former Special Forces Commander Steve Day told CTV’s Power Play on Monday that the DND’s account of what took place is the “most plausible†that he’s heard.
“I don’t doubt that some of the facts maybe as the peshmerga or the indigenous fighters believe them to be are not what they believe them to be, but it’s most likely based on my experience, that DND has probably got the correct version of how this came down, notwithstanding that it’s still very early into the story,†Day said.
There are a “number of coordination measures,†he said, that allied forces would work through to “move through those various checkpoints†within a war zone.
Questions have also been raised over the Canadian soldiers’ proximity to a “frontline†in Erbil, but Day said while peshmerga fighters have likely occupied certain areas of terrain, “in a counter-insurgency operation “the danger is 360 degrees.â€
“Just because we’re 500 miles behind the frontline, doesn’t mean there isn’t a suicide bomber or an insurgent with an AK-47 standing at the corner waiting to take a hot shot,†Day said.
Cooling relations on the ground?
Day said the friendly fire incident and differing accounts of what transpired may create some ‘short-term friction†between peshmerga and Canadian forces, but they’ll work through it.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that those special operators on the ground will circle the wagons, they’ll sort out the issues and then tomorrow they’ll get up and drive on with the mission.â€
Kenney suggested in question period that the friendly fire incident would not affect any future decision to extend Canada’s mission in Iraq.
“We believe there is an important ongoing role for Canada to play,†the minister said. “If we seek an extension, we will obviously table a motion in this place.â€
