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The bomb was dropped at 7:32 pm according to local time. “U.S. Forces – Afghanistan conducted a strike on an ISIS-K tunnel complex in Achin district, Nangarhar provinvce, Afghanistan, as part of ongoing efforts to defeat ISIS-K in Afghanistan”.
The strike dropped “GBU-43 bomb” from a U.S. aircraft. The strike was engineered to minimize the risk to Afghan and U.S. Forces who were busy in clearing operations in the region “while maximizing the destruction of ISIS-K” fighters and facilities.
“As ISIS-K’s losses have mounted, they are using IEDs, bunkers and tunnels to thicken their defense,” said General John W. Nicholson, Commander, U.S. Forces – Afghanistan. “This is the right munition to reduce these obstacles and maintain the momentum of our offensive against ISIS-K.”
Both Afghan and coalition forces are busy for years in the region to counter the Islamic State militants in different operations and drone strikes. While the Islamic State leader Hafiz Saeed for the Khurasan chapter was killed in a U.S. led air strike last year in August.
While on the other hand the Afghanistan former president Hamid Karzai has condemned the attack on Afghan soil. “I vehemently and in strongest words condemn the dropping of the latest weapon, the largest non-nuclear bomb, on Afghanistan by US, military. This is not the war on terror but the inhuman and most brutal misuse of our country as testing ground for new and dangerous weapons. It is upon us [Afghans`> to stop the USA.”
Though the local source who asked anonymity for his own security told that the area Asadkhail of the Achin district where Islamic State Khurasan had strong hold were not used by “civilian” anymore as these fighting groups had captured the caves and tunnels for long and were busy in fight with Afghan forces. “Civilian had earlier fled from the area, as no one can bear the attitude and way of life of ISIS”, he told.
Briefing media and journalists in the Achin district of Nangarhar Afghanistan The American Forces Commander stated that there was a need to use such munition against the ISIS-K fighters hiding in caves and tunnels in Achin.
“This was the right weapon against the right target”, GEN Nicholson U.S. Forces Commander in Afghanistan. “ISIS-K used tunnel and minefields to move around battlefield, protect themselves from Afghan & US Forces, The weapon used, the GBU-43, is designed to destroy caves and tunnels”.
The Presidential office of Afghanistan released its statement and supported the efforts for eliminating the complexes of Islamic State on Afghan soil.
“Following efforts to defeat ISIS-K in Nangarhar, U.S. Forces – in Afghanistan conducted strike on ISIS-K tunnel complex in Achin district”, reads the statement by the Afghan Presidential Palace.
The statement confirm that the civilian casualties were taken in mind while and were brought to the minimum level.
“The air strike was designed to support the efforts of the ANSF and U.S. Forces as well as minimize the risk to ANSF and the U.S. Forces conducting clearing operations in the region. Precautions were taken to avoid civilian casualties with this air strike. Assessment of the casualties to ISIS-K is in process”.
The district governor Ismail Shinwari of Achin has told that 94 fighters of ISIS-Khurasan were killed in the U.S. Forces led air strike including two of their commanders Abu Bakar and Hamza. “The attack took place in the Mamand Dara’s Asadkhail region”.
