Operation Hoover was a 2007 Canadian-led offensive in the War in Afghanistan against the

Taliban The Taliban (; ps, طالبان, ṭālibān, lit=students or 'seekers'), which also refers to itself by its state (polity), state name, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a Deobandi Islamic fundamentalism, Islamic fundamentalist, m ...

in the

Kandahar Province Kandahār ( ps, ; Kandahār, prs, ; ''Qandahār'') is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan, located in the southern part of the country, sharing a border with Pakistan, to the south. It is surrounded by Helmand in the west, Uruzga ...

district of

Zhari Zhari ( ps, ژړۍ, fa, ولسوالی ژری) is a district in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. Alternative spellings include Zheley (due to transliteration from Pashto), Zharey, Zharay, Zheri, or Zheray. The district was created in 2004 from l ...

. The aims of the operation were to root out as many as 300 suspected Afghan insurgents who had moved into the villages of the Zhari District. Operation Hoover was initially an H Company/A Squadron Combat Team operation, but grew to a 2nd Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group operation for the final phase in Nalgham, Zhari. Operation Hoover was part of the overarching Operation Baaz Tsuka.

Battle

During the first morning of the operation, Leopard tanks from

Lord Strathcona's Horse Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) (LdSH C is a regular armoured regiment of the Canadian Army and is Canada’s only tank regiment. Currently based in Edmonton, Alberta, the regiment is part of 3rd Canadian Division's 1 Canadian Mechani ...

entered Zhari, accompanied with

pickup truck A pickup truck or pickup is a light-duty truck that has an enclosed cabin, and a back end made up of a cargo bed that is enclosed by three low walls with no roof (this cargo bed back end sometimes consists of a tailgate and removable covering) ...

s filled with

Afghan National Army Afghan may refer to: *Something of or related to Afghanistan, a country in Southern-Central Asia *Afghans, people or citizens of Afghanistan, typically of any ethnicity ** Afghan (ethnonym), the historic term applied strictly to people of the Pas ...

troops.

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Canadian soldiers launch Operation Hoover
May 24, 2007 One of the tanks was hit by an

improvised explosive device An improvised explosive device (IED) is a bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action. It may be constructed of conventional military explosives, such as an artillery shell, attached to a detonating mecha ...

, but no casualties were reported. At dawn the Portuguese Commandos secured a few compounds to the east. One platoon to the north came in contact with insurgents. The contact lasted for more than an hour but at the end the commandos, supported by Portuguese special forces snipers, manage to get to their objective. One Portuguese soldier was air

medevac Medical evacuation, often shortened to medevac or medivac, is the timely and efficient movement and en route care provided by medical personnel to wounded being evacuated from a battlefield, to injured patients being evacuated from the scene of a ...

'd, and an undetermined number of insurgents lay on the ground. Shortly afterwards, Corporal Matthew McCully, a signals operator with the 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, was killed when he stepped on a

landmine A land mine is an explosive device concealed under or on the ground and designed to destroy or disable enemy targets, ranging from combatants to vehicles and tanks, as they pass over or near it. Such a device is typically detonated automati ...

. CBC
Petawawa-based soldier killed in Afghan offensive
May 25, 2007 Another Canadian, as well as an Afghan translator, were also wounded in the incident which occurred outside Nalgham village. Master Corporal Rob McGregor, of the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment, was injured in the operation when he fell and broke his ankle.Campbell, Murray. ''

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''
Frontline goes online
May 29, 2007 Throughout the day a number of

close air support In military tactics, close air support (CAS) is defined as air action such as air strikes by fixed or rotary-winged aircraft against hostile targets near friendly forces and require detailed integration of each air mission with fire and moveme ...

tasks were requested but none deployed any ordnance.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hoover Conflicts in 2007 Battles of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) involving Canada Military operations of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) involving the United Kingdom Battles of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) involving Portugal Battles of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) 2007 in Afghanistan History of Kandahar Province Military operations involving Portugal