Posted on 05/17/2018 3:29:21 PM PDT by Eddie01
As battle rages near the important city of Farah in western Afghanistan, the US military has released footage of drone strikes killing large numbers of Taliban fighters in support of Afghan army efforts to push the Islamist group from the city.
The US Air Force's new MQ-9 Reaper drones killed about 28 Taliban fighters Wednesday, Task and Purpose reports, revealing the carnage in footage posted on the US Forces Afghanistan Twitter account. The drones circled the battlefield from far overhead, striking Taliban forces in conjunction with the Afghan Air Force, which used its new A-29 Super Tocano ground attack aircraft and Mi-17 Hip attack helicopters, said Army Lt. Col. Martin O'Donnell, a spokesperson for Operation Resolute Support.
"Fighting was subdued overnight," O'Donnell told Task and Purpose Wednesday. "It will likely pick up today. We conducted a number of additional drone strikes throughout the night and continue to enable the ANDSF [Afghan National Defense and Security Forces], who remain squarely in the lead. The 207th Corps commander is leading operations on the ground and the city remains in government control."
The Taliban boasted May 15 they had overrun large parts of Farah, which at 50,000 inhabitants is the largest city in the poppy-growing region. Although the Taliban posted images on social media suggesting they had free reign of the city, residents and officials confirmed to news agencies that local security forces were still in control of the police station and national intelligence agency facility, the Chicago Tribune reported at the time.
May 27, 2016 photo, members of a breakaway faction of the Taliban fighters walk during a gathering, in Shindand district of Herat province, Afghanistan
Battle has raged around the city since then, with Afghan security forces supported by American air power pushing the Taliban back and killing more than 300 fighters Wednesday, Sputnik reported.
The Taliban's spring offensive has surged since late April, shortly after the Afghan government extended a hand for peace talks. The Taliban rejected Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's invitation to participate in elections, dismissing the peace overtures as a "conspiracy," Reuters reported at the time.
Taliban in Pashtu means "Student". They memorize the Koran in Pock-ee-stawn, grab a rifle, and migrate into Afghanistan. They're like roaches, but at least some are no longer cutting off the noses of shaven Afghan males.
Killing individual fighters with hellfire missiles is a bit expensive
Depends on what gear the vermin is carrying ... ammo, mortar rounds, heavy machinegun parts, etc.
Afghanistan has become the best live fire joint training area that the military has. I am not quite sure if the “War on terror” is going anywhere at this point.
Google says 115000 a copy.
I spent 5 months in Farah in ‘08-’09.
We provided free medical care for the locals, they would line up for care a couple of days a week.
As a result, the locals really liked us.
We also hired them to rebuild their local canals which had been damaged by 30 years of war.
Again, lots of goodwill.
We had a big fire on base shortly before I got there, it was so bad the locals sent their fire truck to help out.
So, I don’t think it’s the locals that are the problem, but rather fighters coming in from other places. The Iranian border is only 30 miles or so away.
Right on! NorthernTraveler
There's been no major attacks on US soil in, oh, I dunno, ...16 and a half years. And there's no longer a Muslim in the White House. Sounds like progress to me.
Is this the video that shows a munition doing a 180 to go through the front door?
Oh, and it’s derka BTW
IBTZ
Good bye.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.