The federal government of Canada is considering a NATO request to send police trainers to Afghanistan, but Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan says Canada’s military focus remains in Iraq, The Globe and Mail reported.
“As any good allied partner does, we will look at that request,” Sajjan said Monday after a news conference highlighting the Defence Department’s new, 10-year defence policy, which was rolled out last week.
“Our focus right now is on our mission in Iraq and the region. We will be moving forward with that mission.”
Sajjan said even though Canada continues to provide funding for development and security personnel in Afghanistan, the military mission there ended three years ago.
The conflict claimed the lives of 158 Canadian soldiers, one diplomat and one journalist between 2001 and 2014. Thousands of those who served there continue to suffer from physical or mental injuries, an issue that continues to make headlines across the country.
However, the United States and NATO are reaching out for more help in Afghanistan now that the Taliban appear to be making a comeback in the region. As well, the arrival of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant has complicated matters. During the past year, the group has launched deadly attacks across the country.
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