Bill Roggio's Embed in Afghanistan, May - June 2006

In May of 2006, embedded as a journalist with the Canadian Army in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Bill spent four weeks in Afghanistan. Bill arrived one day after the Kabul riot, in which 14 Afghans were killed and over a hundred wounded, and provided firsthand reporting of the aftermath, and rode along with the Canadian troops of the 1st Battalion of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry during an operation in Kandahar's restive Zari and Panjwai districts.

Articles from Afghanistan

Article appear in order of published date, from earliest to latest

Combat in Southeastern Afghanistan; Mullah Dadullah not captured
Taliban commander thought captured in mid-May remains on the loose

Two days after the Kabul riot
The media reports the Taliban was responsible for the Kabul riots, when in fact it was the result of political opposition to the Karzai regime

A day in Kabul; Police remain a target in Southeast
Driving through the city; Taliban target police station in Zabul

Quiet Friday in Kabul; Mullah Dadullah threatens Canada, Britian
Friday sermons do not result in further violence days after Kabul riot; Taliban commander tries to intimidate NATO forces

Chora Police Station Retaken; Kabul Police Chief Sacked
Afghan forces retake a police station overrun by the Taliban as the Karzai government cleans house after the Kabul riot

Kabul accident changes ISAF driving rules; Suicide attacks in Kandahar
Fallout from the accident and subsequent riots in Kabul; Suicide bombing in Kandahar City

Media Death Watch in action on purported kidnapped Canadian soldier
Canadian media bites on a false report soldiers were kidnapped, jumps into "death watch" mode

The Road to Tarin Kot
Coalition forces open a Forward Operating Base on a vital road

Press Conference with Colonel Chris Vernon on Mountain Thrust
The Chief of Staff of Task Force Aegis speaks about the ongoing operation to root out Taliban enclaves in southeastern Afghanistan

Three Days of Operation Mountain Thrust in Kandahar
An offensive operation in the districts of Zari and Panjwai in Kandahar province

Soft Targets
A suicide bombing in Kandahar; a Taliban commander surrenders

Observations from Southeastern Afghanistan
Thoughts on the state of the Taliban, the impact of the drug wars and poppy eradication in southeastern Afghanistan

Kabul to Qalat
A ride on the road to the provincial capitol of Zabul, plus video of a possible encounter with the Taliban

Taliban losses in Afghanistan, gains in Pakistan
The Taliban continues to suffer military losses in Afghanistan, while growing in strength in Western Pakistan

Media Links:

"Military blogger gets news first-hand"
May 18 article in the Courier Post on upcoming embed in Afghanistan

Additional Multimedia:

Discussion with Richard Fernandez of the Belmont Club on Coalition offensives against the Taliban in Afghanistan as well as Pakistan's involvement with the Taliban.

Transcript of appearance on the Hugh Hewitt Show.

Recording of press conference with Major Quentin Innis on suicide bombing in Kandahar. (File size is 5 Megabytes, in .wav format)

Recording of press conference with Mullah Ibrahim, a former Taliban Commader. (Includes translation to Pashtu. File size is 37 Megabytes, in MP3 format)

Recording of press conference with Lieutenant Colonel Ian Hope on Operation Mountain Thrust. (includes translation to Pashtu. file size is 22 Megabytes, in MP3 format)

Recording of press conference with Colonel Chris Vernon on Operation Mountain Thrust.

Discussion with Richard Fernandez of the Belmont Club on the Kabul riot and the situation in Afghanistan.