David Lavery, a former Canadian soldier has been detained in Afghanistan after being apprehended by Taliban forces near the Kabul Airport. 

Also known as Canadian Dave to Afghans, Lavery is known for his humanitarian work in the country. 

According to the Veterans Transition Network, he was in the country during the 2021 withdrawal of US-allied forces from Afghanistan, where he aided the immigration process for Afghans who were deemed eligible for resettlement in Canada.

Canada’s history with dealing with the Taliban, especially in the Trudeau years, has been a difficult saga. A series of scandals involving Liberal Ministers from Sikh and Afghan heritage have brought controversy to the Afghan portfolio.

Canadians recently learned that in 2021, the Liberals then-Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan relayed information to the Canadian Armed Forces in order to focus on aiding Sikhs in their escape in what can be described as a Sectarian abuse of authority and humanitarian resources. 

Moreover, the former Liberal Afghan-Canadian Cabinet Minister under Trudeau, Maryem Monsef, once called the Taliban her “brothers” in a video addressing the terrorist group. Monsef lost her seat to Conservative Michelle Ferreri in 2021, with many Persian-Canadians in her riding upset with her comments that she attempted to defend under a ‘cultural context’. 

Since the fall of the Afghan government to the Taliban regime in response to the US withdrawal from the country, Afghanistan has gone from a republic to an Islamic Emirate, governed by Sharia law. Sweeping human rights violations of women, religious minorities and children have resulted.

All western actors, citizens and collaborators remaining in the country after the 2021 withdrawal, including Canadian personnel were subjected to persecution by the Taliban.