Private William Jonathan James Cushley, 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment, based in Petawawa, Ontario was killed on September 3, 2006 fighting against Taliban insurgents approximately 15 km west of Kandahar City . Private Cushley's unit was part of Operation MEDUSA, a significant combined effort between the Afghan National Security Forces, Canada and our other NATO partners in the International Security Assistance Force aimed at removing armed militants from the Panjwayi and Zhari district region so that displaced villagers can return to their homes and re-establish their livelihoods without living in constant fear of the Taliban.