Military deems air attack on Taliban a success

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — Canada’s military commanders are heralding the largest air assault of the Afghan war as a success.

Col. Christian Drouin, the Canadian wing commander, says the mission went off without a shot being fired on either side.

Three Canadian Chinook helicopters and four Griffon choppers were part of a two-pronged assault on the Taliban strongholds of Marjah and Nad Ali district.

The Canadian aircraft helped ferry more than 1,000 coalition troops into Nad Ali.

Meanwhile, Canadian soldiers who train Afghan troops were in the town of Marjah with their pupils.

Col. Shane Brennan, who heads the mentoring program, says 34 Canadian army trainers worked with a kandak, or battalion, of 450 Afghan soldiers who searched houses just north of Marjah.

Brennan says none of the Canadian mentors or their Afghan pupils have been harmed so far in the offensive.