From Iraq & Syria to 8 Wing Trenton

It was all smiles at CFB Trenton Monday morning, as personnel from 437 Squadron returned to Canada.

Dozens of our service women and men, along with external contact workers landed at 8 Wing, coming off of Operation IMPACT.

The operation revolved around support allies fighting Daesh forces in Iraq and Syria since 2014.

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(l-r) 3 year old Adam Askin, 1 year old Amelia, Joey who is 7, and 5 year old Jenn Askin wait for their father Sean to return (Photo: Tim Durkin/ Quinte News)

Major Jamie Arbuckle who served on the mission tells Quinte News Operation Impact made a difference in people’s lives.

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Base Commander Colonel Mark Goulden says there was more than 1,100 missions as part of IMPACT.

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The following is information from the federal government on the operation

Daesh is a terrorist organization which advocates radical interpretations of Islam. Originating in 1999, it rose to global prominence in 2014. At that time, it claimed religious authority over all Muslims. Its stated goal was to create a world-wide Islamic caliphate. It pursued that goal through extreme violence, particularly in Iraq and Syria.

The group began taking control of territory in Iraq and Syria in 2014. It captured Fallujah in Iraq in January 2014, and Mosul in June 2014. As it quickly advanced across Iraq and Syria, it committed numerous human rights violations and atrocities. Its actions:

displaced millions of people and caused the death of thousands
undermined stability in Iraq and the region
posed a threat to international security

Daesh had fighters across Iraq and Syria. A number of these were foreign recruits.

The group has also been known as:

the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)
the Islamic State (IS)
the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)

International response

The Global Coalition was formed in September 2014. It has 79 members, including many of Canada’s closest allies and partners. It also includes important regional partners.

The Coalition is committed to tackling Daesh on all fronts. The military campaign in Iraq and Syria has been effective. Daesh has lost more than 98% of the territory it once occupied. Over 7.7 million people have been liberated from its occupation.

The Coalition is supporting Iraqi Security Forces as they transition from major combat to stability operations. The emphasis is on training, logistics, intelligence, protecting borders, and counter-terrorism support.

Beyond the military campaign, the Coalition is also committed to: