Canada’s response to the collapse of the Afghan government in 2021 was hindered by a lack of anticipation of the rapid advance of the Taliban, an internal Canadian government report has said.
According to Toronto Star, which has obtained the report, Canada’s reaction to the fall of Afghanistan lacked political direction
The report, conducted by the Canadian government agency, Privy Council Office (PCO), examined the government’s actions during the crisis and identified bureaucratic delays, inadequate planning, and chaotic communication as significant issues that affected the response.
The Canadian government, the report says, was slow to realise the unfolding security crisis and to develop special immigration measures to protect embassy staff, interpreters, and others who had aided the country in Afghanistan.
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Like the US and British governments, the Canadian government has been criticised for its handling of the withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The fall of Kabul, the report says, came as a strategic surprise, for the Canadian government.
Canada was part of the international coalition that invaded Afghanistan in 2001. More than 40,000 Canadian soldiers fought in the country, and 158 lost their lives.
The Canadian government says it granted asylum to over 30,000 people from Afghanistan since August 2021, but has been criticised for delays in processing applications.
It has been revealed that a group of Afghan citizens have taken legal action against the government for the slow process of their applications.
