The US counterterrorism mission is separate from the NATO-led effort to train, advise and assist the Afghan army and police force. There are about 8,400 US troops in Afghanistan and they regularly perform counterterrorism operations against ISIS in the Nangarhar Province. A US Army Special Forces soldier was killed fighting the terror group there Saturday. The Achin district is the primary center of ISIS activity in Afghanistan. The Pentagon is currently reviewing whether to deploy additional trainers to Afghanistan to help bolster US allies there. The target set has also been expanded to include targets buried under softer surfaces, like caves or tunnels.īut while the MOAB bomb detonates with the power of 18,000 pounds of tritonal explosives, the size of its explosion pales in comparison to that of a nuclear bomb. This munition was developed during the Iraq war and is an air blast-type warhead that explodes before hitting the ground in order to project a a massive blast to all sides.ĭuring the final stages of testing in 2003, military officials told CNN that the MOAB was mainly conceived as a weapon employed for “psychological operations.” Military officials said they hoped the MOAB would create such a huge blast that it would rattle Iraqi troops and pressure them into surrendering or not even fighting.Īs originally conceived, the MOAB was to be used against large formations of troops and equipment or hardened above-ground bunkers. This is the first time a MOAB has been used in the battlefield, according to the US officials.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |