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U.S. Airstrikes in Afghanistan Are at Levels Not Seen Since Obama Troop Surge

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(Last Updated On: October 24, 2022)

The U.S. air war in Afghanistan has returned to a level of intensity not seen since American forces were still fanned out across the country and fighting Taliban militants in daily skirmishes in 2012, according to recently released military data.

As of June 30, U.S. and coalition aircraft had dropped or expended 1,634 munitions in Afghanistan so far this year, according to U.S. Air Force numbers. By comparison, in 2015 and 2016, that figure was 298 and 545 respectively.

The majority of this year’s strikes have been used to go after the Taliban, said Navy Capt. Bill Salvin, a spokesman for the U.S.-led mission in Afghanistan. A portion of the air support, however, has also been directed at terrorist groups such as the Islamic State.

The surge in U.S.-led air attacks comes as the Pentagon weighs whether to send thousands more troops into Afghanistan in a bid to reverse three years of steady gains by the Taliban. While Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis pledged to deliver a strategy to Congress this month, some lawmakers see any increase in support to what has become America’s longest running war as futile.

On Monday, a U.S. Marine unit in Helmand province — often known as the birthplace of the Taliban — said it had helped the Afghan Army retake a district center south of the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah and that the operation had been supported with “numerous” U.S. airstrikes. Earlier this month, Army Pfc Hansen B. Kirkpatrick was killed in the same area when an Army Special Forces team he was with came under accurate mortar fire. Two other soldiers were wounded. Though Afghan forces control some population centers in Helmand, the Taliban are able to move around almost completely unrestricted.

An April report released by Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction indicated that Afghan forces control 60 percent of the country, up from 57 percent in November last year. That same report indicated the Taliban had gained a percentage point of ground, still putting the militants’ control of territory at its highest in the country since U.S. forces invaded the country in 2001. The rest, the report said, remains contested.

To help prevent further losses, then-President Obama gave the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, Army Gen. John Nicholson, authority  to go after the Taliban with airstrikes. Before the June 2016 decision, U.S. forces were only allowed to target the Taliban with air support when defending U.S. troops alongside their Afghan counterparts. The new powers, known as the “strategic effects authority,” were supposed to be used sparingly, during times when the U.S.-provided air support could effectively change the strategic outcome of a battle.

The renewed intensity of the U.S.-led air campaign, along with the burgeoning capabilities of the Afghan Air Force, have also meant Afghan civilians are dying more frequently from aerial attacks. Salvin said that the Afghans had carried out 1,000 strikes this year, compared to 1,600 for all of 2016.

A report released Monday by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan documented 95 civilian deaths and 137 wounded from airstrikes during the first six months of this year. The report said the Afghan Air Force was responsible for 29 of the deaths. It is unclear if the Afghan Air Force, like its coalition counterparts, uses guided or “smart” munitions. In 2016, a spokesman for the U.S. mission in Afghanistan told reporters the Afghan Air Force was not using guided bombs, and Salvin did not know if that had recently changed.

“The increase in civilian casualties from aerial operations affirms the criticality of continuous review of targeting criteria and pre-engagement precautionary measures in both offensive and defensive aerial operations,” the report said.

These figures, according to the report, equate to a 67 percent increase in civilian deaths compared to the same reporting period from 2016. Overall, however, civilian casualties at the hands of pro-government forces are down by roughly 20 percent, the report said.

Civilian casualties in Afghanistan continue to remain at record highs since the U.N. mission to Afghanistan began tracking civilian deaths in 2009. Tens of thousands of civilians and more than 2,000 U.S. troops have died in Afghanistan since 2001. Currently, there are roughly 8,500 U.S. troops serving alongside approximately 5,000 NATO forces in the country.

Written by: Washington Post  

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TAPI gas company CEO satisfied with project’s progress

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(Last Updated On: March 28, 2024)

The minister of mines and petroleum, Shahabuddin Delawar met with the executive director of the TAPI project and the ambassador of Turkmenistan in Kabul on Thursday to discuss progress around the key project.

Murad Amanov, head of the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) Gas Pipeline project, expressed his satisfaction with the recent progress of the project and talked about the practical roll out of the project.

Delawar said that the preliminary work of TAPI is progressing quickly and that the pipeline will be put into operation in the near future.

TAPI is a natural gas pipeline being developed by the Galkynysh – TAPI Pipeline Company Limited with participation of the Asian Development Bank.

The pipeline will transport natural gas from the Galkynysh Gas Field in Turkmenistan through Afghanistan into Pakistan and then to India.

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UK’s Mercer faces 10-day deadline in Afghanistan war crimes inquiry

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(Last Updated On: March 27, 2024)

Johnny Mercer, the former UK Minister for Veterans Affairs, has been given 10 days to reveal the source of allegations that British troops engaged in war crimes in Afghanistan, or face a potential prison sentence.

British media reported on Tuesday that Mercer, following his allegations regarding the killing of Afghan civilians by British forces, was ordered to reveal the sources of his information.

The BBC reported that a public inquiry commissioned by the UK government into the actions of its forces in Afghanistan has directed Mercer to disclose the names of individuals who leaked information to him about alleged war crimes and cover-ups by special forces, or he may face imprisonment.

Although separate investigations have sought to verify these claims, the British government has yet to officially confirm them.

Earlier this month, Mercer, who served in military missions in Afghanistan, told the court that despite the information he possesses, he cannot confirm the killing of Afghan civilians by British forces between 2010 and 2013.

In court, he also stated that the claim British soldiers killed unarmed civilians in their sleep does not contradict his findings, but he admitted reluctance to believe it.

According to Mercer, British forces were allegedly instructed to carry an unregistered weapon — one not associated with NATO forces — to place next to the unarmed Afghan individuals they had killed.

The Islamic Emirate’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid says the countries that had troops in Afghanistan for 20 years all committed war crimes.

Mujahid stated that if the investigation carries on, it will be a big step and that the crimes committed should be investigated transparently.

“The crimes that have been committed should be investigated transparently because this was not the work of a few soldiers but a plan that was drawn and crimes were committed in Afghanistan,” he added.

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Floods leave two dead in Faryab and Sar-e-Pul

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(Last Updated On: March 27, 2024)

Local officials in Faryab and Sar-e-Pul say heavy rain and floods have claimed two lives in these two provinces.

Rain and floods also caused widespread damage and financial losses.

In addition to the loss of lives and money, floods have closed roads in some districts in these two provinces, officials said.

According to them, the destruction of agricultural lands, residential houses, and bridges is widespread and has made life difficult for the people.

Meanwhile, the families who suffered losses during the floods are demanding immediate assistance from the government and aid agencies.

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