Defence Minister David McGuinty says Canadian military personnel in the Middle East are out of harm’s way as the U.S. and Israel continue to launch missile strikes on Iran.
McGuinty did not offer specifics Tuesday when asked how many Canadian military personnel are in the region, saying only there are “some.”
“They are all fine, out of harm’s way and it’s something that we’re watching very carefully,” McGuinty told reporters in Sydney, Australia, where he is on an official visit with Prime Minister Mark Carney.
McGuinty said the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is a positive development.
“Ayatollah Khamenei has been for many, many decades a very, very powerful force for evil in Iran and in the region,” he said.
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Carney has endorsed the American and Israeli military strikes on Iran, but also said Canada will not get involved.
McGuinty said the Canadian Armed Forces weren’t involved in the preparation or execution of the attack and Canada was not given advance notice.
He said the government “decided from the beginning” it would support the attack but is also calling for a diplomatic end to the conflict.
The Department of National Defence has not said how many Canadian troops are stationed in each country in the Middle East. The department has said only that the Canadian Armed Forces will “assess any potential impacts on CAF personnel in the region.”
“The safety and security of all deployed CAF personnel remain our top priority. In line with established procedures, the CAF adjusts its presence and posture in deployment locations as required,” wrote department spokesperson Nick Drescher Brown.
“All CAF personnel in the region are currently safe and accounted for. For operational security reasons, the CAF does not disclose specific force protection measures.
“The CAF has no involvement in the United States’ Operation Epic Fury, nor were any CAF members involved in its planning.”
— with files from Dylan Robertson in Ottawa
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