WASHINGTON: The United States has sent B-52 bombers and Spectre gunships to Afghanistan in a bid to stop Taliban insurgents who are marching towards three key cities.
The B-52s are flying into Afghanistan from an airbase in Qatar, hitting targets around Kandahar, Herat, and Lashkar Gah in Helmand province, US new daily New York Times reported.
The move comes amid an increasingly dire situation in Afghanistan, as the Taliban continues to seize territory across the country as U.S.-led forces withdraw. The Pentagon estimates that the group now controls half of Afghanistan’s 419 district centers.
On Friday, the Taliban seized Zaranj in Nimroz, making it the first provincial capital to be captured by the insurgents since they began their military campaign in May.
The Taliban also assassinated the government’s chief media officer, Dawa Khan Menapal, on the same day in Kabul. The deployment of American bombers and gunships also highlights how ailing Afghan forces remain reliant on US support.
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber, which can carry up to 32 tonnes of bombs. The bombers first flew during the Cold War and played a key role in toppling the Taliban from power in late 2001. B-52 shave not been used in Afghanistan for nearly a year.
The US is also using armed Reaper drones and AC-130 Spectre gunships, and at least five missions are being flown each day. The Afghan air force is still reliant on US-supplied aircraft, which are now running out of spares and trained technicians after the departure of US contractors.
At least seven Afghan pilots had been killed after being targeted by the Taliban, while others are reportedly exhausted after relentless missions. The United States will continue with the airstrikes although US President Joe Biden has set a deadline for withdrawal of August 31. The Afghan government estimates that over 40,000 families have been displaced by the fighting since early May.
