In Kandahar: Afghan Army Lt. Col. Sheren Shah (with phone) coordinates his men as Canadians Col. Jean-François Riffou and Maj. Bob Ritchie check the map during an operation. Andy Nelson – Staff

Making the Leap: A Canadian soldier jumps a creek during an operation in Kandahar Province. The Canadians and the British have the largest troop presence in the southern region, where they are training Afghans to lead missions on their own. ANDY NELSON – STAFF

Vantage Point: Afghan National Army soldiers watch from a roof after clearing a supply house during an operation in Kandahar Province in early April. Taliban attacks on coalition forces are frequent. ANDY NELSON – STAFF

Somber Duty: Canadian soldiers bear the coffin of Pvt. Terry John Street of Hall, Quebec, to an aircraft in Kandahar. The Canadian public has become increasingly critical of Canada’s presence in Afghanistan. Andy Nelson – Staff

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An Afghan officer, NATO behind him, leads an assault

In Afghanistan's troubled south, one mission shows how far the Afghan Army has come –and what remains to be done.

from the April 30, 2008 edition

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Staff photographer Andy Nelson shows Canadian Army officers mentoring Afghani army soldiers in Afghanistan.

Canadian mentors	An Afghan officer, NATO behind him, leads an assault
The new commandos	Americans build elite Afghan commando force
Lessons for a secure future	Linchpin in Afghan security: a better police force

Ritchie, who has been talking almost nonstop on his radio to his men and coordinating troop movements and airstrikes, marvels that British, US, Canadian, and Afghan forces have all worked on this mission. "Four countries contributing to do the right thing," he says.

Shah's men ultimately find a cache of weapons, including two recoilless rifles used to harass Canadian-Afghan police substations in the area. Shah is ecstatic.

"This is good, Colonel," Ritchie says.

Supply trucks rumble forward

With the area now at least temporarily safe, the coalition supply trucks are able to make it through to a secure compound, and the soldiers receive their rations: ammo, cooking oil, fresh onions, bags of flour, and two sides of beef wrapped loosely in garbage bags.

Today's operation has been a success, says Col. Jean-François Riffou, who oversees all the Canadian adviser teams here, as he watches the operation from inside an earthen compound. "Things are under control, nobody hurt, got some bad guys, and [Shah] is acting deliberately," says Colonel Riffou. Still, the Canadians know he needs more gear, intelligence, soldiers – and practice.

For the Afghans, the sense of accomplishment shows in the visible pride of the men surrounding a beaming Shah. As far as he is concerned, the only thing he needs is not quite within reach. Asked when he could perform a mission like that of today's on his own, Shah nods at the sky and smiles.

"When I get control of the aircraft," he says.

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