JTF2 returns home to Canada

CANADA - One of Canada's elite commando units, the JTF2 commandos, have returned home to Canada after serving in Afghanistan for almost 9 years.

In their first raid back in late 2001 the team captured a computer hard drive which later helped with gathering intel about Al Qaeda and Taliban leaders. Since then the JTF2 (Joint Task Force 2) have been involved in the capture of over a hundred top level Taliban and Al Qaeda leaders.

The JTF2 has been pretty mum on their operations in Afghanistan but now that they're returning home it doesn't seem to matter any more. Their mission is over.

When they first setup a base of operations in Kandahar they only had 2 weeks of food/supplies and there was a logistical snafu when nearby countries refused to let Canada's forces fly over their territory to drop in more food and supplies. The JTF2 had to rely on the Americans for food, bullets and even transportation.

There were other problems too. The JTF2 was part of Task Force K-Bar which included six U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Berets, etc.) and special elite units from other countries involved. During the assault in which they gained the computer hard drive the American helicopter carrying them had a rough landing and later on their way back to the base it nearly ran out of fuel.

Since that rough beginning the team has been credited with destroying Taliban and Al Qaeda weapons and training grounds, searching caves, compounds and hideouts, performing search-and-rescue operations and calling in bomb strikes on the enemy from their mountain vantage points.

There were other Canadian forces in Afghanistan too, regular army units which were more in charge of local security in Kandahar and road side bomb detection teams. The JTF2 however got all the high-stakes missions... and won praise from their American allies who were at first confused as to "Who the f*** is the JTF2?"

The JTF2 were busy right up until the end. Their final mission was an assault on an enemy compound located three-and-a-half hours by helicopter from their home at Kandahar Airfield. 24 JTF2 members snuck up under the cover of darkness, blasted a hole in the side of the compound using explosives and then forced a surrender of 53 resistance fighters inside.

They arrived back at Kandahar at 7 AM in the morning. An hour later they boarded a plane bound for Canada and home, their mission completed.