White House press secretary Sean Spicer had earlier confirmed that the US dropped the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb, also known as the "Mother of All Bombs" or 'MOAB, ' over the Achin district of Afghanistan's Nangarhar province to destroy a tunnels and caves network of the Islamic State.
Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump dubbed the MOAB bombing as a successful event, saying the country is proud of its army.
It was the first time the United States has used this size of conventional bomb in a conflict.
Nangarhar, which borders Pakistan, is a hotbed of IS militancy.
The security situation remains precarious in Afghanistan, with a number of militant groups trying to claim territory more than 15 years after the US invasion which toppled the Taliban government.
The Afghan Taliban, which is trying to overthrow the US -backed government in Kabul, are fiercely opposed to Islamic State and the two group have clashed as they seek to expand territory and influence. Just last week a U.S. Army Special Forces soldier, Staff Sgt. Mark R. De Alencar, 37, of Edgewood, Maryland, was killed in action in Nangarhar. It added: "It is expected that the weapon will have a substantial psychological effect on those who witness its use".
Lue says Cavs' loss to Hawks 'just stupid'
Dragic tied it for the Heat with a long jumper, Miami got a stop on the final Cleveland possession and to overtime they went. And tonight was one of those games where they took all the momentum from us and it felt like it wasn't going to go our way.
He tweeted, 'US President Trump's blasting with Mother of all bombs the ISIS hideout in Afghanistan is Super.
"I vehemently and in strongest words condemn the dropping of the latest weapon, the largest non-nuclear #bomb, on Afghanistan by USA military", Karzai said in a Twitter post. "The strike was designed o minimize the risk to the Afghan and United States forces conducting clearing operations in the area while maximizing the destruction of ISIS-K fighters and facilities".
He said IS has been using improvised explosive devices, bunkers and tunnels to strengthen its defences. "This is the right munition to reduce these obstacles and maintain the momentum of our offensive against ISIS-K".
Afghan government spokesman Shah Hussain Murtazawi said: "Heavy casualties have been inflicted on the enemy".
Achin District Governor Esmail Shinwari said: "The explosion was the biggest I have ever seen".
White House spokesman Sean Spicer said IS fighters had used the tunnels and caves in Achin to maneuver freely. "We have given the military the total authorization, and frankly, that's why they have been so successful".
Comments