Contractor accidently killed in Afghanistan by Canadian Troops

[Executive Security]

Contractor accidently killed in Afghanistan by Canadian Troops

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Troops fire on fast-moving vehicle in Kandahar: official

By THE CANADIAN PRESS


KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - One person was killed and three others injured when a Canadian military convoy opened fire on a vehicle from a private security company that failed to heed repeated demands to stop, the military said Thursday.

The convoy, which was part of Canada's Provincial Reconstruction Team, was departing Kandahar Airfield on Wednesday when it spotted the vehicle moving at a high rate of speed, Canadian Forces spokeswoman Capt. Josee Bilodeau said in a statement.

Deeming the vehicle a possible threat, soldiers issued several warnings to the vehicle to stop, in accordance with standard procedure, Bilodeau said.

"These multiple warnings were not heeded to and a shot fired in direction of the vehicle was required, after which, the vehicle stopped," she said.

The vehicle was identified as belonging to the private security company Compass.

"Incidents like this one are regrettable, however, our forces took all reasonable steps to prevent injury to the individuals and to protect themselves."

In the statement, the Canadian Forces offered its "most sincere condolences to the family of the individual who was killed in this incident."

Violent encounters between military convoys and civilian vehicles are nothing new in Afghanistan. Large red signs written in local dialects urge motorists to pull over for oncoming military vehicles and to keep a safe distance away.

NATO's International Security Assistance Force, the coalition of which Canada is part, has massive billboards throughout Kandahar city that carry the same message as part of a public awareness campaign to avoid misunderstandings that can result in civilian injury or death.

It is, however, the second time in less than a year that a vehicle owned by Compass has run afoul of a Canadian convoy. Soldiers opened fire on a Compass vehicle last October, injuring seven Afghans and prompting a review of Canadian convoy protocols.

Those injured Wednesday were given immediate medical care on scene and then transported to the Multinational Medical Unit at Kandahar Airfield for treatment, the statement said.

The shooting is under investigation by the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service, the military police branch that probes incidents involving Canadian military personnel or property at home or abroad.

Compass Security describes itself as a private security company with operations throughout the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia, from Iraq to Afghanistan.

The company provides "tailored security capabilities for commercial companies and military organizations," ranging from site security and convoy protection to secure logistics services and cash-in-transit.

The nationalities of the dead and injured were not released.