INDEPTH: AFGHANISTAN
March 29, 2006: firefight
CBC News Online | March 29, 2006
Canada's casualties: 2006

Pte. Robert Costall was born in Thunder Bay and based in Edmonton. (DND/Canadian Press)

Taliban insurgents attack a coalition outpost outside Kandahar. Pte. Robert Costall is killed in the ensuing firefight. Eight Afghan soldiers and one U.S. soldier are also killed. Three Canadians are wounded.

A Canadian Forces spokesman says the firefight lasted for several hours and a "significant number" of Taliban members were killed.

Costall was born in Thunder Bay, Ont., and based in Edmonton with the 1st Battalion of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. He was married and the father of a baby boy.

The names of the three injured soldiers were not released and they were expected to return to battle.

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CANADA'S INVOLVEMENT: Canada in Afghanistan Danger pay Q&A with ambassador Text of the PM's speech to Canadian troops Timeline Kandahar patrol Canada's casualties Canadian units Canada's Equipment
ISSUES: Improvised Explosive Device The women of Afghanistan The Taliban Afghanistan: Still no peace Schools in Afghanistan
PEOPLE AND PLACES: Hamid Karzai Kabul Kandahar Mazar e Sharif
PHOTO GALLERIES: Afghan patrols Mountain Thrust Afghan offensive Road to Martello Reporting from Kandahar HARPER IN AFGHANISTAN – Monday, March 13, 2006 – Sunday, March 12, 2006 Canadians in Kandahar On the ground Afghanistan in 2004
VIDEO FEATURES: Warlords take office (Real Video runs 12:20) Carolyn Dunn visits Afghan's refugee camps (Real Video runs 2:53)
VIEWPOINT: Cpl. Brian Sanders Russell D. Storring Aisha Ahmad
RELATED: GUANTANAMO THE NATIONAL IN KABUL CANADA'S MILITARY CANADIAN SUBMARINES FRIENDLY FIRE LETTERS FROM AFGHANISTAN

QUICK FACTS:
Capital: Kabul

Area: 647,500 km sq. (same size as Manitoba)

Population: 28,513,000 (2004)

Head of State: Hamid Karzai

Unemployment: 78%

GDP (2003): $20 billion US (est.)

Exports to Canada (2003): $618,889

Imports from Canada (2003): $9 million

Median Age: 17.5

Life expectancy at birth: 42.46

Ethnic groups: Pashtun 42%, Tajik 27%, Hazara 9%, Uzbek 9%, Aimak 4%, Turkmen 3%, Baloch 2%, other 4%

(Source: CIA World Fact Book, Government of Canada)
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NATO in Afghanistan

CIA World Factbook, Afghanistan

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