‘The US military has conducted an airstrike against Taliban fighters in Afghanistan’s Helmand province, jeopardizing a fragile ceasefire and Donald Trump’s much-touted peace roadmap for Afghanistan.
A spokesman for US forces said that an airstrike had targeted Taliban fighters in Nahr-e Saraj, Helmand, who were “actively attacking” an Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) checkpoint. The Pentagon insisted the strike was defensive and aimed at “disrupting” the Taliban assault, claiming that it was the first US attack on the Taliban in eleven days.
The spokesman also called on the Taliban to stop “needless attacks” and to uphold their side of the ceasefire.
The militants reportedly killed around 20 Afghan soldiers and policemen in a string of overnight attacks, AFP reported, citing government officials.
The escalation comes just hours after US President Donald Trump said that he had a “good long conversation” with Taliban political chief Mullah Baradar.’
Read more: US strikes Taliban as Trump’s Afghanistan peace deal risks collapse
