CAF Operations

1954 – present

The Canadian Armed Forces contribute to international peace and security operations around the world. Canadian Armed Forces personnel are frequently deployed overseas on operational missions. On any given day, as much as one third of its deployable forces are preparing for, engaged in, or returning from an overseas mission.

CAF Operations, Asia

Afghanistan
2001 – 2014
On 11 September 2001, terrorists hijacked four planes in the United States. They crashed two planes into the World Trade Center towers, one into the…
Cambodia
1954 – 2000
More than a thousand Canadian Armed Forces members served in Cambodia to help stabilize and rebuild the country during four peace support missions…
East Timor
1999 – 2001
Members of the Canadian Armed Forces have served in many parts of the world on international peace missions over the years. Few of them have been as…

CAF Operations, Europe

Balkans
1991 – present
Canadians served in European Community, United Nations and North Atlantic Treaty Organization missions in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia,…
Cyprus
1960 – present
The peacekeeping operation in Cyprus, from 1964 to today, is one of Canada's longest and best-known overseas military commitments. A large Canadian…
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
1949 – present
One of the Canadian military’s central roles over the years has been to stand side-by-side with our allies to help defend international peace and…

CAF Operations, Africa

Ethiopia and Eritrea
1985-2003
Canadian Armed Forces members served in a United Nations (UN) peace mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea from 2000 to 2003. At times, more than 500…
Mali
2018 – 2023
Canada has a long history of taking part in international peacekeeping operations. One of these peace missions was in Mali from 2018 to 2023. More…
Rwanda
1993 – 1996
Canada played an important role in United Nations (UN) peacekeeping missions in the African nation of Rwanda from 1993 to 1996. Juvénal Habyarimana,…
Somalia
1992 – 1993
Canada has long participated in international peace efforts, but the nature of these missions is far from simple. The Canadian men and women who find…
The Congo
1960-present
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has a long history of instability and violence. Since 1960, more than 2,500 Canadians have taken part in several…

CAF Operations, Middle East

Gulf War
1990 – 1991
The Gulf War of the early 1990s was an important chapter in Canada’s military history. More than 4,000 Canadians served in the Persian Gulf region in…

CAF Operations, Americas

Haiti
1974 – 2010
Canada has taken a leading role in international peacekeeping and humanitarian aid efforts in Haiti. This is in large part due to the shared…

Related People and Stories

View all

Ron Lee
From Cold War air defence radar lines, to the very heart of NORAD on 9/11, Major (Retired) Ron Lee dedicated nearly half a century to defending North America.
Table of contents

Order of Events

 

1954

Canadian peacekeepers first served in Cambodia

 

November 24 1956

First Canadian Peacekeepers set foot in Egypt

 

1960 - 1964

Canadian peacekeepers first serve in the Congo

 

1964 - today

Canadian Armed Forces members serve in Cyprus

 

August 9 1974

Nine Canadian Armed Forces Peacekeepers die in the Middle East/p>

 

1988

World's UN peacekeepers awarded Nobel Peace Prize

 

August 2 1990

Iraq invades Kuwait, setting off the Persian Gulf War

 

1991 - today

Canadian Armed Forces members serve in the Balkans

 

1992 - 1993

Canadian Armed Forces members served in Somalia

 

1993 - 1996

Canadian Armed Forces members served in Rwanda

 

March 1995

500 Canadian Armed Forces members deployed to Haitia

 

1999 - 2001

Canadian Armed Forces members served in East Timor

 

2000 - 2003

Canadian Armed Forces members served in Ethiopia and Eritrea

 

2001 - 2014

Canadian Armed Forces members served in Afghanistan

 
 
 
Date modified: