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Pentagon: Coalition Airstrikes in Afghanistan on Record Pace in '18

by William Gallo

   WASHINGTON --

   The U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan is on pace this year to drop a
   record number of bombs, according to Pentagon data.

   Through the first six months of 2018, the U.S. and its allies dropped
   2,911 weapons on Afghanistan, according to data from the U.S. Air Force
   Central Command.

   'That is nearly twice the number of bombs dropped on Afghanistan in the
   same period last year, and over 700 more than the previous high set in
   2011 at the height of the war.

   The expanded bombing comes after President Donald Trump announced an
   open-ended military commitment to Afghanistan in August 2017.
   Afghanistan saw a brief wave of optimism in June, when the Afghan
   government and the Taliban successfully held a three-day cease-fire
   during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

   Though the U.S. honored the cease-fire by suspending "offensive
   strikes" against the Taliban for over half the month, the coalition
   still dropped 572 bombs in June -- the most dropped in any month of
   June of the war, according to Pentagon data.

   Washington and Kabul are fighting not only the Taliban, but also
   Islamic State's Afghan affiliate, known as ISIS-Khorasan, as well as
   groups such as al-Qaida and other regional and international militant
   groups.

   The Trump administration is reported to be exploring direct peace talks
   with the Taliban. But U.S. officials have also said any talks must
   include the Afghan government.

   The U.S. has approximately 14,000 service members in Afghanistan. Most
   are in training and advisory roles, though some are involved in a
   counterterrorism mission.

   Top U.S. military officials acknowledge the conflict remains a
   stalemate, almost 17 years after it began.