Sgt. Andrew Doiron's death blamed on 'mistaken identity' in report

In a '"tragic case of mistaken identity,"Kurdish Peshmerga fighters shot and killed Canadian Sgt. Andrew Doiron in Iraq in March, a series of Canadian military investigations has concluded.

His deathwas also linked to a "breakdown in communication in a setting characterized by tension, fatigue and confusion"the report says.

Doiron, originally fromMoncton, N.B., was shot by Kurdish fightersas his special forces unit was returning to an observation post in the darkness. Three other Canadians were wounded in the incident. Three separate investigations looked at the March 6 incident.

• Sgt. Andrew Doiron's death likely due to Kurdish fighter fatigue, general says
• Doiron's colleagues held fire when Kurds turned guns on them
• Soldier's death a 'mistake' but won't harm relations with Kurds, general says
• Doiron a casualty of ISIS's 'fluid' front lines

Brig.-Gen. Mike Rouleau said that Doiron's detachment hadbeen at that same location, at the request of Kurdish forces, earlier that day. But there had been a shift change, and the Kurdish replacement soldiers were not informed that Doiron's team would be returning later that night, the report found.

The report saysthe Canadian teamfollowed "all pre-established procedures and that they had conducted their operations appropriately and in concert with all pre-approved and accepted protocols."

As well, theidentification procedures used by Doiron and his detachment were proper. But it noted that the "complexities of conducting a link-up with other forces during the night is a complicated task due to the difficulties in accurately identifying and visually distinguishing friendly forces in very low light conditions as experienced on that night."

Concerned about ISIS attack

The Kurdish forces, unaware of the planned visit, were legitimately concerned about a potentialattack by ISIS, similar to one that had occurred the night before, Rouleau said.

The report found that it is reasonable to believe that "they would have perceived any movement, regardless of the nature, to be life-threatening. This is what is believed to have motivated the members of the final Kurdish position to engage."

"This was a tragic case of mistaken identity," Rouleau said.

The investigationalso foundthat no Arabic was spoken by Doiron's teamon the approach to the final position that night.

Rouleauoutlined the events leading up to the shooting. He said that asDoiron'steam approached theKurdish soldiers that night, they met up with a pack of wild barking dogs, increasing the already tense atmosphere.As theycontinuedforward, a Kurdish soldieron a rooftop about 60 metres awayfrom the patrol sawDoiron'sdetachment, Rouleau said.

Doironused the proper greeting or code words but received no response,Rouleausaid. TheKurdish soldier cocked his weapon, promptingDoironto immediately raise his voice in English announcinghis presenceas aCanadian patrol.

However, the Kurdish soldier fired atDoiron, wounding him.Another Kurdish soldier began firing amachine gunat thethree other members ofDoiron'spatrol, forcing them to take cover, Rouleau said.The three others triedto helpDoiron, but werefired upon at every attempt. They were eventuallyall wounded by small arms fire.

TheCanadian Special Operation Forces Command operator was able to stop the shooting and all four were evacuated from the area. ButDoironlater died of his wounds.

The first Kurdish shooter clearly sawDoironand his detachment,Rouleausaid. But under severe stress, "he was looking at Canadians, but he saw what he thought was an ISIS infiltration and an attack on his position."

Rouleausaid Doiron'sdetachment made no mistakes andperformedvery well before, duringandafterthe shooting.

Doiron is the only Canadian soldier to be killed so far as part of Canada's military effort in Iraq, which began last fall.

Gen. Tom Lawson, Canada's chief of the defence staff, had hinted that investigations into the death cleared Canadian soldiers of responsibility and blamed fatigued Kurdish soldiers.