US airstrikes target Taliban in Kandahar province

The strikes targeted Taliban fighters in the Zharay, Spin Boldak, and Kandahar districts of the province as they were “actively attacking and maneuvering on” Afghan troops, US Forces-Afghanistan spokesman Col. Sonny Leggett claimed on Twitter.

He said the US continues the airstrikes in accordance with the US-TB agreement, referring to a deal struck between Washington and the Taliban in Doha, Qatar last year that paves the way for a complete withdrawal of foreign forces by May.

An undisclosed number of strikes were carried out, he said.

Leggett’s tweet came after the Taliban earlier Wednesday said the US was unlawfully targeting Taliban fighters in Kandahar who were not involved in the fighting.

“We strongly condemn these bombardments and crimes by the American invaders,” Taliban spokesman Qari Yousaf Ahmadi said in a statement. “This is clearly a violation of the Doha agreement.”

HJ/5172256