US military says it conducted airstrike against Taliban forces, first since peace dealcloseVideo
Afghanistan peace deal hits road block over release of Taliban prisoners
Afghanistan is refusing to release 5,000 Taliban prisoners ahead of talks to share power. Greg Palkot reports from Kabul.
The U.S. military said early Wednesday it had conducted an airstrike against Taliban forces in Afghanistan, the first such attack since a historic peace deal was signed with the militant group Saturday.
The Helmand Province strikes targeted fighters attacking an Afghan government checkpoint.
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“This was a defensive strike to disrupt the attack. This was our 1st strike against the Taliban in 11 days,” Col. Sonny Leggett, a U.S. military spokesman in Afghanistan, tweeted.
“To be clear- we are committed to peace, however, we have the responsibility to defend our #ANDSF partners. #Afghans & US have complied w/ our agreements; however, Talibs appear intent on squandering this opp. and ignoring the will of the people for #peace. #Showyourcommitment,” he added.
He said the U.S. is calling on the Taliban to stop needless attacks and uphold their commitments to the peace deal.
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President Trump confirmed Tuesday that he spoke on the phone to a Taliban leader, making him the first U.S. president believed to have ever spoken directly with the militant group responsible for the deaths of thousands of U.S. troops in nearly 19 years of fighting in Afghanistan.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
