KABUL - The US forces in Afghanistan targeted a meeting of Taliban leaders in Musa Qala district of the restive southern Helmand province on Thursday, said a statement of US Forces-Afghanistan released here.
“Task Force-Southwest, under US Forces-Afghanistan authorities, confirmed a ground-based rocket artillery strike using the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, against a command and control node for high-level Taliban leaders in Musa Qala district, May 24,” the statement said.
Musa Qala district is the main bastion of Taliban militants in the troubled and poppy growing Helmand province.
“The structure was a known meeting location for prominent Taliban leaders, where they planned and facilitated attacks against Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, who are supporting election security in the area,” the statement further said.
Without providing details on possible casualties on the Taliban fighters, the statement noted, “Strikes like this one not only degrade Taliban operations, but also give our partners the ability to maintain continuous pressure against a weakened enemy.”
Taliban outfit has yet to make comments.
Established in 2009, US Forces-Afghanistan is a US-led mission that directs and enables US military operations in support of Resolute Support, NATO’s train, advise and assist mission, as well as is to sustain campaign momentum in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, unknown armed militants gunned down two security personnel in the eastern Ghazni province on Wednesday, provincial government spokesman Aref Nuri said Thursday.
Unknown militants, according to the official, opened fire on a police patrol in Kalasabz locality outside Ghazni city, the capital of eastern Ghazni province, on Wednesday evening, killing two constables and injuring two others.
The official, however, blamed Taliban militants for organizing such attacks, saying the Taliban insurgents, in efforts to terrorize the people, usually conduct subversive activities against security personnel and civilians.
Taliban militants who control parts of Ghazni province haven’t commented.
