Canada dismisses chief of operations in Afghanistan
KANDAHAR AIR FIELD, Afghanistan - The chief of Canadian forces in Afghanistan, Brig. Gen. Daniel Menard, has been relieved following allegations of an inappropriate relationship, the Canadian military said yesterday.
KANDAHAR AIR FIELD, Afghanistan - The chief of Canadian forces in Afghanistan, Brig. Gen. Daniel Menard, has been relieved following allegations of an inappropriate relationship, the Canadian military said yesterday.
Col. Simon Hetherington said Menard's dismissal would not affect the Canadian mission in southern Afghanistan, where NATO forces are fighting the Taliban. A major campaign is planned in and around Kandahar city in the coming months.
"Operations continue unabated," said Hetherington, acting commander.
The colonel said Lt. Gen. Marc Lessard, commander of Canadian forces abroad, had relieved Menard of his command because of an "alleged inappropriate personal relationship."
Hetherington gave no further details, though other sources said the married general, whose wife also is an army officer, was involved with a female subordinate. An investigation was under way.
Menard has been on leave from Afghanistan for several weeks. On Tuesday, he pleaded guilty at a court-martial in Canada to accidentally firing his weapon at Kandahar Air Field in March and was fined.