The below information was
released from a U.S. Forces Afghanistan News Release:
KABUL, Afghanistan, April 13,
2017 — At 7:32 p.m. local time today, U.S. Forces Afghanistan conducted a
strike on an Islamic State of Iraq and Syria-Khorasan tunnel complex in Achin
district, Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, as part of ongoing efforts to defeat
ISIS-K in Afghanistan, according to a U.S. Forces Afghanistan news release
ISIS-K, also known as the
Korasan group, is based in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region and is composed
primarily of former members of Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban.
The strike used a GBU-43/B
Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb dropped from a U.S. aircraft. The strike was
designed to minimize the risk to Afghan and U.S. forces conducting clearing
operations in the area while maximizing the destruction of ISIS-K fighters and
facilities.
“As ISIS-K’s losses have
mounted, they are using [improvised bombs], bunkers and tunnels to thicken
their defense,” said Army Gen. John W. Nicholson, commander of U.S. Forces
Afghanistan. “This is the right munition to reduce these obstacles and maintain
the momentum of our offensive against ISIS-K.”
U.S. forces took every
precaution to avoid civilian casualties with this strike and will continue
offensive operations until ISIS-K is destroyed in Afghanistan.
Note: The GBU-43/B appears in the above DoD photo.
You can click on the photo to enlarge.
No comments:
Post a Comment