The largest Islamic terror group in Afghanistan, the Taliban suffered massive numbers of heavy casualties after the United States sent B-52 bombers supported by AC-130 Spectre gunships for close air support to Afghanistan in a bid to stop the Taliban insurgents who are marching towards three key cities.
The B-52s are now bombing the Taliban as they fly into Afghanistan through Pakistan airspace from an airbase in Qatar and have hit targets around Kandahar, Herat, and Lashkar Gah in Helmand province, sources told The Times.
Such measures had to be taken because the situation in situation Afghanistan was getting dire, as the Taliban seized more territory across the country after the U.S.-led forces withdraw. As per a Pentagon assessment, the Taliban now controls half of Afghanistan’s 419 district centers.
On Friday, the Taliban seized Zaranj in Nimroz, capturing its first provincial capital and it also managed to assassinate the government’s chief media officer, Dawa Khan Menapal, on the same day in Kabul.
America had to deploy its bombers and gunships because the Afghan forces simply could not stop the onslaught without the US support and now the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress which is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber, which can carry up to 32 tonnes of bombs is giving the Taliban a moment of pause.
Also, involved in the bombing operation are the armed Reaper drones and AC-130 Spectre gunships as the young Afghan air force is still reliant on US-supplied aircraft, which are now running out of spares and trained technicians after the departure of the US.
As per reports, at least seven Afghan pilots had been killed while others are reportedly exhausted after relentless missions. security analyst and retired colonel Mohammad Hassan told Arab News, “It is getting worse day by day here. The cancelation of flights to Herat and the fact that America has back started using B-52 are not good signs. It will cause more panic among people at large and shows the precariousness of the situation.”
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