PRESS RELEASE | Sept. 13, 2018
Kinetic Strikes Kill Dozens of Taliban Fighters in Ghazni
NATO Special Operations Component Command-Afghanistan Public Affairs

BAGRAM, Afghanistan – U.S. Forces in Afghanistan conducted two kinetic strikes against Taliban leaders and fighters assembled at adjacent compounds in Nawah district, Ghazni province September 10. The double-structure strike resulted in 30 Taliban killed.

These compounds were historically associated with Emirati Taliban Commander, Hamidullah, and frequented by senior provincial Taliban commander, Maulawi Haji Salaam Akhundzada. These successful strikes degrade Taliban influence and operations in Ghazni province and beyond.

“The removal of such a large group of Taliban fighters in one day is a tangible example of Afghan and U.S. cooperation using intelligence and operations to spoil Taliban plans.” said Brig. Gen. Otto Liller, Deputy Commanding General, NATO Special Operations Joint Task Force-Afghanistan/Special Operations Joint Task Force-Afghanistan.

Established in 2015, Resolute Support (RS) is a NATO-led, non-combat mission to train, advise and assist the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF), who assumed nationwide responsibility for Afghanistan’s security following the conclusion of the previous NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission. Its purpose is to help the Afghan security forces and institutions develop the capacity to defend Afghanistan and protect its citizens in a sustainable manner.