Tweet
The chief of staff to the general commanding Canada's combat forces in Afghanistan has emphatically denied a tweet sent out by the Taliban this week that said, "Land mine in Boldak obliterates Canadian invaders tank."
"Task Force Kandahar does not have forces or equipment in the Spin Boldak region," Lt.-Col. Doug Claggett said Friday. "The announcement that a Canadian tank was destroyed in the Spin Boldak region highlights the lies and propaganda published on the insurgents' website and Twitter page."
In fact, no Canadian armoured forces have operated in Spin Boldak, which borders Pakistan, for several years. The Van Doo battle group, which closes out Canada's combat operations in Kandahar in July, is concentrated in two districts about 100 kilometres to the west of Spin Boldak.
The Taliban has, for years, made outrageous claims on the Web of battlefield triumphs against Canadian and other coalition forces. However, it apparently began using Twitter only earlier this month.
Tuesday's tweet, which was written by someone calling himself Mostafa Ahmedi, linked to a longer item credited to Qari Yousuf Ahmadi on the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan's Voice of Jihad website.
The Voice of Jihad entry, which had typos, read: "Reports from Boldak district's Dona area say that a Canadin invaders tanak was obliterated this morning at 08: 00 am when a land mine ripped through it as the invaders military convoy was passing through the mentioned area."
Not commenting on how closely Canada monitors the Taliban's use of the Web to spread what is usually disinformation, "We are certainly aware of the insurgents' use of the Internet to spread their propaganda," Claggett said. "Insurgent claims run counter to the truth on the ground and actually demonstrates desperation."
"Task Force Kandahar does not have forces or equipment in the Spin Boldak region," Lt.-Col. Doug Claggett said Friday. "The announcement that a Canadian tank was destroyed in the Spin Boldak region highlights the lies and propaganda published on the insurgents' website and Twitter page."
In fact, no Canadian armoured forces have operated in Spin Boldak, which borders Pakistan, for several years. The Van Doo battle group, which closes out Canada's combat operations in Kandahar in July, is concentrated in two districts about 100 kilometres to the west of Spin Boldak.
The Taliban has, for years, made outrageous claims on the Web of battlefield triumphs against Canadian and other coalition forces. However, it apparently began using Twitter only earlier this month.
Tuesday's tweet, which was written by someone calling himself Mostafa Ahmedi, linked to a longer item credited to Qari Yousuf Ahmadi on the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan's Voice of Jihad website.
The Voice of Jihad entry, which had typos, read: "Reports from Boldak district's Dona area say that a Canadin invaders tanak was obliterated this morning at 08: 00 am when a land mine ripped through it as the invaders military convoy was passing through the mentioned area."
Not commenting on how closely Canada monitors the Taliban's use of the Web to spread what is usually disinformation, "We are certainly aware of the insurgents' use of the Internet to spread their propaganda," Claggett said. "Insurgent claims run counter to the truth on the ground and actually demonstrates desperation."
.
Comment