Operation Impact

Operation IMPACT
Part of the Military intervention against ISIL and the war on terror

A Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18 flies over Iraq in support of Operation IMPACT on 4 March 2015.
Date4 September 2014 - present (10 years, 2 months, 3 weeks and 2 days)
Location
  • Iraq (since 2014)
  • Syria (2015–16)
Status
  • Ground operations ongoing
  • Canadian airstrikes on ISIL ended in February 2016[1][2][3]
  • ISIL ground attacks on Canadian special forces repelled[4][5]
  • JTF2 conducting long range targeting of ISIL militants[6]
  • Operations in Syria concluded in January 2016
Belligerents
 Canada  Islamic State
Commanders and leaders
Former
Units involved
 Military of ISIL
Strength

 Canadian Armed Forces:

Up to 200,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria
Casualties and losses
1 killed (friendly fire) Unknown

On 3 October 2014, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that he would put forth a motion to send forces to participate in the coalition for military intervention against ISIL by deploying combat aircraft.[14] On 7 October 2014, the House of Commons approved of sending nine aircraft to join coalition airstrikes against ISIL in Iraq along with 69 special forces advisors to train the Iraqi government's military.[15][16] The Canadian Armed Forces' contribution to the coalition against ISIL was later dubbed Operation IMPACT.[17] On 30 March 2015, the House of Commons voted to extend the mission to targets in Syria. No additional forces were announced.[18]

In late November 2015, new Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the withdrawal of Canada's fighter aircraft from the fight against ISIL, but their surveillance and transport and refuelling aircraft would remain in the area.[19] All airstrikes by the Canadian fighter aircraft ended as of 15 February 2016.[20] As part of the Canadian reorganization of the operation in February 2016, it was announced the number of military trainers would triple to a total of 600 ground personnel.[21] This force was later augmented in mid-May 2016 by three Bell CH-146 Griffon helicopters.[22]

On 20 July 2016, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan announced that Canada was deploying a field hospital in support of United States and French troops in their effort to retake Mosul. The hospital required 60 personnel; however, the minister said that the number of committed to the overall operation would not climb. The hospital's deployment would be for one year.[23]

On 7 January 2020, the Canadian Armed Forces announced that Operation Impact would be suspended following the assassination of the Iranian general Qasem Soleimani in Iraq earlier in the month, with some non-essential personnel being moved to Kuwait. On 16 January, it was announced that operations had resumed.

In March 2021, the Canadian government extended the military mission against the remnants of ISIS by another year, and pledged to commit $43.6 million to stabilization programs in Iraq and Syria.[24] The mission was once again extended by one year in March 2022[25] and again extended to 31 March 2025 in March 2023.[26]

  1. ^ "Canada launches first airstrikes on ISIS targets in northern Iraq". CTV News. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  2. ^ Brewster, Murray (2 November 2014). "Canadian warplanes launch first airstrike in Iraq". Toronto Star. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  3. ^ "First Canadian airstrikes in Iraq". Castanet.net. The Canadian Press. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  4. ^ Campion-Smith, Bruce (19 January 2015). "Canadian soldiers get into firefight in Iraq". Toronto Star. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  5. ^ Chase, Steven (19 January 2015). "Mission creep concerns raised in Canadian fight against Islamic State". Globe and Mail. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  6. ^ "Canadian sniper 'kills IS militant two miles away'".
  7. ^ "ISIS leader al-Qurayshi dies in suicide blast alongside six children in US raid". LBC. 3 February 2022.
  8. ^ "Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi: IS leader 'killed in US operation' in Syria". BBC News. 27 October 2019.
  9. ^ Engel, Pamela (23 April 2015). "Report: A former physics teacher favored by Osama bin Laden is now leading ISIS". Business Insider. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
  10. ^ "Operation Inherent Resolve - Canada". Operation Inherent Resolve. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  11. ^ AirForces Monthly. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England: Key Publishing Ltd. December 2014. p. 35.
  12. ^ "Canadian Armed Forces expands contribution to Global Coalition to defeat ISIL". Government of Canada. National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces. 19 May 2016. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  13. ^ "Operation Impact". National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces. 19 August 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference NatPost3Oct was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ Cite error: The named reference CBC8Oc14 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ Cudmore, James (16 November 2015). "There are signs Canadian commandos are battling ISIS in northern Iraq". Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  17. ^ "Operation Impact". Canadian National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces. 19 August 2014. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  18. ^ "ISIS mission: MPs pass motion to support extension". CBC News. 30 March 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  19. ^ Cite error: The named reference barton1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  20. ^ Cite error: The named reference GovFeb16 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  21. ^ Mas, Susana (8 February 2016). "Canada to cease ISIS airstrikes by Feb. 22, triple training forces Justin Trudeau says". CBC News. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  22. ^ Pugliese, David (31 May 2016). "Canadian special forces under fire in Iraq battle, try to save life of wounded Kurdish general". National Post. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  23. ^ Brewster, Murray (20 July 2016). "Canada to take part in Iraqi city of Mosul's liberation from ISIS with field hospital". CBC News. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  24. ^ Sevunts, Levon (31 March 2021). "Canada extends anti-ISIS mission, funds projects in Iraq and Syria". Radio Canada International.
  25. ^ Berthiaume, Lee. "Canada extends military mission in Iraq for another year". Global News. The Canadian Press. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  26. ^ Defence, National (27 March 2023). "Defence Minister Anita Anand announces extension of Operation IMPACT". www.canada.ca. Retrieved 2 May 2023.


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