One year after Canadian withdrawal, 400 military containers still in Kandahar

OTTAWA – The war may be over, but the cleanup is still underway.

Nearly 400 shipping containers full of Canadian military supplies remain stuck in Kandahar more than a year after Canada’s withdrawal from the war-torn province.

National Defence says the material is considered a low priority and that all high-value and sensitive equipment has been returned to Canada.

But the delay, brought on by the extended closure of the Afghan border with Pakistan, has turned into a long, costly logistics nightmare for the military.

Lt.-Gen. Stuart Beare, commander of Canada’s foreign and domestic military operations, says the material — tires, spare parts and other gear — still has residual and monetary value.

Documents obtained under access to information show the Canadian government is paying to store and guard the containers at yards adjacent to bustling Kandahar Airfield.