US Re-Activates Afghan War; Records “Highest-Ever” Bombarded on Afghanistan

The US seems to have re-activated the War in Afghanistan under President Trump. In what appears to be analytical evidence of extensive US embroilment in the un-ending Afghanistan war, the US announced it bombarded the country with approximately 6000 bombs in 2018, the highest ever recorded.

Over 65,000 People Killed in Pakistan Due To US’ War on Terror: Reports

According to the figures by the US Air Force Central Command (AFCENT), the US forces released 5,982 bombs in Afghanistan and the coalition aircraft flew nearly 6,600 times between the start of 2018 and end of October.

“The latest figures surpass the previous annual record of about 5,400 recorded in 2011 at the height of the US troop surge. AFCENT’s figures include both bomb and missile strikes, 105mm shells fired by AC-130 gunships and strafing fire from 20mm cannons and up, read the report published by the local Tolo News. 

These escalating onslaughts are said to be part of the US Administration’s policy of pushing the rebels to the negotiation table. The Afghan forces are complementing this surge with their own assaults from the air and ground while the Taliban too are on the offensives in a number of wars for turf in different provinces.

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has this year reported a sharp rise in civilian casualties from air attacks in the first nine months of 2018 compared to the same period in 2017.

The 649 civilian casualties recorded between 1 January and 30 September 2018 is more than the number of civilian casualties from aerial operations recorded over every entire year since UNAMA began systematic civilian casualty documentation in 2009.

In the two incidents in Helmand province this week, UNAMA notes with particular concern that children were disproportionately impacted, comprising 55% of the civilian casualties.

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