Helmand Province, Afghanistan — March 29, 2006: After the Taliban ambush an Afghan Army convoy, Canadian reinforcements become the enemy’s second target. But the Canadians take no prisoners and show no mercy in the battle that ensues.

The helicopters touch ground in Helmand Province at an Afghan Army base. Troops from the Princess Patricia’s Light Infantry pour from the giant birds, a quick reaction force of Canadian soldiers that quickly permeate the camp in an act of steely protection. Earlier, their Coalition partners, the Afghan Army, were attacked in a brutal ambush and the fear is the Taliban is coming back for more.

The Canadians come backed by a stellar lineup: British fighter jets, US helicopters and B-52 bombers. It’s possible the Taliban is unaware of the massive force prepared to strike back. Or perhaps the confidence gained from the earlier ambush has outweighed their senses. Either way, attacking the Canadian outpost proves to be a deadly decision for the Taliban. The lambs, so it seems, have been led to slaughter.

The Canadian troops are primed for the swarm of Taliban fighters that soon attack the Afghan base. Armed with rocket-propelled grenades and small arms, the enemy breaks the desert silence, literally exploding onto the scene, but the counterstrike the Canadians unleash is unparalleled. A ferocious battle rages though the region, a struggle for control that culminates into hours of violence and bloodshed.

In the end, nearly three dozen Taliban fighters are dead.

The bravery, tactics and determination of the Canadians and their Afghan partners leaves an indelible mark in Helmand Province. Since the Canadians arrived that day as reinforcements, at least 130 more insurgents have been killed, captured and wounded in the region.