The commander of the US forces in Afghanistan leading the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission (RSM) General John Nicholson told reporters in Kabul that the deadly airstrike against the ISIS terrorist group was carried out in response to the barbaric acts of the terror group affiliates, including the kidnapping of the wives and daughters for forced marriage to their fighters.

Gen. Nicholson further added that the group has sent suicide bombers to attack peaceful demonstrations and killed and wounded hundreds of civilians and dragged elders out of their homes in Nangarhar, beheaded them in front of their families.

He said night's complex strike in Achin district of Nangarhar was part of alliances campaign to destroy ISIS-K in Afghanistan in 2017.

"The weapon used, the GBU-43, is designed to destroy caves and tunnels in Achin Nangarhar," Gen. Nicholson said, adding that "ISIS-K used tunnel and minefields to move around battlefield, protect themselves from Afghan & US Forces in Achin Nangarhar."

Stressing that GBU-43 was the right weapon considering the condition in Achin, Gen. Nicholson said "I want to assure you that our forces took every possible precaution to prevent civilian casualties."

"We have US Forces at the site and we see no evidence of civilian casualties nor have there been reports," he added.

Gen. Nicholson also added that Afghan Army and Commandos are leading this fight against these barbaric terrorists on behalf of the people of Afghanistan.

According to Gen. Nicholson, the alliance is united with the Afghan government to prevent terrorists from establishing safe havens in Afghanistan.

LINK: https://www.ansarpress.com/english/6094

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