US artillery kills 50 Taliban commanders in Afghanistan at the same time
A US rocket attack destroyed a command center where several Taliban commanders were meeting.
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| The US M142 HIMARS system in action. Photo:Lockheed Martin |
Last week, the US Army deployed the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) to attack a Taliban meeting in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan, killing at least 50 commanders of this force.APreport
Lieutenant Colonel Martin O'Donnell, a spokesman for US forces in Afghanistan, said the M142 battery targeted a command center where Taliban meetings had taken place. The US military said the heavy damage from the attack would seriously affect the Taliban's ability to plan and conduct operations in southern Afghanistan, far beyond Helmand province.
The strike was an example of how the Pentagon is using expanded authority as part of the Trump administration’s regional strategy for the war in Afghanistan, which allows US forces to take a more active role in combat.
The Afghanistan war is the longest war on terror in American history, which began in October 2001 and shows no signs of ending. During the 2016 election campaign, Trump repeatedly said that the war had cost too many American lives and money.
However, security advisers have persuaded the US President to increase his presence in Afghanistan and provide armed support to the country's military, to prevent the risk of the Taliban overthrowing the Washington-backed government.
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| Location of Musa Qala district, where the US shelling took place. Graphics:BBC |
