U.S. airstrikes in Afghanistan early Wednesday killed at least 40 Taliban militants, including several high-level commanders, one of whom may have been released from prison as a result of recent peace talks, according to several news agencies inside the country.
There has been no official confirmation from the Pentagon about the strikes, which killed at least six Taliban leaders along with dozens of fighters, according to reports.
The frequency of militant attacks in the region continue to threaten the Feb. 29 agreement intended to be a first step toward a new peace deal between the United States and the Taliban.
Wednesday’s airstrike came two days after the Taliban detonated a car bomb outside an Afghan intelligence complex in Aybak. The militants stormed the compound, killing 11 and wounding more than 60, according to a report by The Hill.
On Tuesday, U.S. forces conducted an operation in Takhta Pul district, which killed at least 25 other militants, according to the reports.
Wednesday’s strikes reportedly hit in an area between Pashtun Zarghun and Guzara in Adraskan District of Herat Province, where dozens of civilians also were reportedly injured. The Taliban said 20 civilians were killed in nearby Guzara, according to local reports.
Some reports put the overall death toll as high as 45.
Jamal Barekzai, a spokesperson for the Herat Provincial Police Headquarters, said U.S. forces conducted an airstrike about 1:30 a.m. local time in Khakriz district, according to The Khaama Press News Agency in Afghanistan. He said the strikes were prompted after Taliban militants attacked outposts in Darweshan.
Local reports say the attack may have targeted a celebration or rally in honor of a prominent Taliban leader.
At least 30 were injured, according to reports, citing local officials.
Citing a provincial official in Herat, the Ariana News agency identified the dead commanders as Abdullah Akbari, Mawlawi Haidar, Mullah Rahmatullah, Zabihullah Akbari, Mullah Mohammad known as Idris and Mullah Abdul Haq known as Osama.
Earlier this week, the U.S. military said it had met the deadline to reduce the number of troops in the region to 8,600 and that it had withdrawn from five bases as promised in the U.S.-Taliban peace deal, according to a report by The Hill, which cited the Pentagon.
“We expected to see a reduction in violence,” Gen. Frank McKenzie, commander of U.S. Central Command, told Voice of America last week. “And while the Taliban have been scrupulous about not attacking U.S. or coalition forces, in fact, the violence against the Afghans is higher than it’s been in quite a while. It’s one of the highest, most violent periods of the war that we’ve seen today.”
Official peace talks were scheduled but have not yet happened along with a prisoner exchange.
President Donald Trump is facing pressure to keep troops in Afghanistan after U.S. intelligence revealed that Russia offered bounties to Taliban militants to kill U.S. and coalition troops in Afghanistan.
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