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
Khorasan 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.