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US-AFGHANISTAN-CONFLICT
US bombing of Afghanistan hits 10-year high
KABUL, Jan 28, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – American warplanes dropped more bombs on
Afghanistan in 2019 than at any other time in at least a decade, according to
the US Air Force, as Washington intensified attacks in the country amid
withdrawal talks with the Taliban.
In 2019 alone, the US dropped 7,423 separate munitions on targets in
Afghanistan, where the US has been enmeshed in fighting several militant
groups since it invaded the country following the September 11, 2001 attacks.
The figure — published online by US Air Forces Central Command —
represents a dramatic surge in bombings in Afghanistan compared to the peak
of President Barack Obama’s “surge” in 2009, when 4,147 bombs were dropped.
Since President Donald Trump was elected in 2016 the US has ramped up
bombing runs over Afghanistan as the White House removed earlier restrictions
that provided greater oversight over air raids aimed at preventing civilian
casualties.
The UN and rights groups have repeatedly voiced concerns that the increase
in air strikes across the country by US and Afghan forces have resulted in a
major upswing in civilian casualties.
During the first half of 2019 pro-government forces, including the US,
killed 717 civilians, an increase of 31 percent from a year earlier, the UN
reported last year.
Most of the deaths came from US and Afghan air strikes, often in support
of national forces on the ground, the report said.
The increase in bombings comes as Washington and the Taliban continue to
wrangle over a possible agreement that would see US troops begin to leave
Afghanistan in return for security guarantees.
The Taliban have been pushing to reach a withdrawal agreement with
Washington by the end of January and are prepared to “scale down” military
operations ahead of signing a deal, their chief spokesman said earlier this
month.
The two sides had been negotiating an agreement for a year and were close
to an announcement in September 2019 when US President Donald Trump abruptly
declared the process “dead”, citing Taliban violence.
Taliban sources told AFP earlier this month they had offered to initiate a
brief ceasefire of seven to 10 days in order to restart the talks formally,
but there has been no announcement of the proposal by either party.
BSS/AFP/FI/ 1442 hrs