{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The Long War: Canada in Afghanistan","title":"4. Operation Medusa (2006)","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2362,"description":"This episode includes accounts of grievous injury. The Taliban increases in strength and takes a more aggressive stance in the spring and summer of 2006. Hundreds of Taliban fighters prepare to directly challenge NATO forces near Kandahar City. Operation Medusa is launched to counter this new threat. \nOperation Medusa is the largest battle Canadian forces fight in Afghanistan. Twelve soldiers die. Dozens more are injured.\nCanadian maneuvers get off to a difficult start, with disagreement over an accelerated advance. Much of the early fighting centres on the White School, a key Taliban stronghold in Panjwaii. Canadian soldiers are killed and injured in two unsuccessful attacks on the site before it is taken. \nUltimately, Canada regroups and Operation Medusa succeeds, despite deaths by accident, suicide bombing, and friendly fire. \nThe Taliban suffers a tactical setback on the battlefield. But now the character of the war is about to change. And in some ways, it becomes even more dangerous.\nRead more\nCanadian War Museum: “The White School and Operation Medusa: Canada in Afghanistan, 2006”\nOral histories\nIn Their Own Voices\nJohn Barnes – Transcript / Video\nMark Gasparotto – Transcript \nBruce Moncur –– Transcript / Video\nCredits\nThe Long War: Canada in Afghanistan is a podcast by the Canadian War Museum. \nNarrator: Anna Maria Tremonti \nHistorian: Andrew Burtch\nProducers: Lisa Gabriele and Neil Morrison\nAssociate Producer: Hailey Choi\nMixing: Cameron McIver\nExecutive Producers: Jenny Ellison and Steve McCullough\nText editors: Shannon Moore and Pascal Scallon-Chouinard \nThe podcast cover image shows private Michael Kubis of The Royal Canadian Regiment standing in a cloud of dust moments after the detonation of an improvised explosive device (IED) in Panjwaii District, Kandahar, in 2010. Photo: Louie Palu.\nMany voices heard in The Long War come from the Canadian War Museum’s oral history project, In Their Own Voices: Stories from Canadian Veterans and Their Loved Ones....","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/tN6DF7At9Tq7RLtr2nkw50fjqAjDFwQCurNC1XGZ7Mk/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS83MDEw/NmRkMjEwOGI1ZTJk/NzBjZTBlN2E1YzUz/YTNjMC5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}