The U.S. military has launched more than a dozen airstrikes in the past week in support of Afghan government forces. The strikes indicate stepped-up American support after weeks of battlefield gains by the Taliban as U.S. troops complete their withdrawal.
The Pentagon said Tuesday that both conventional warplanes and armed drones were used, but did not provide details. A U.S. official, however, gave some specifics and said there has been a significant increase in strikes since July 20, with the number sometimes reaching almost a handful a day.
“A number of strikes have occurred over the last several days from both manned and unmanned strike platforms,” Maj. Robert Lodewick, a Pentagon spokesman, said.According to officials, the airstrikes have largely been in direct support of Afghan forces under attack by the Taliban, but several also struck military equipment that had been captured by the Taliban. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to provide greater detail on the attacks.
Gen. Frank McKenzie, the head of U.S. Central Command, who is overseeing the U.S. military withdrawal and making decisions on air support for Afghan troops, said on Sunday that airstrikes had been increasing.