U.S. forces in Afghanistan have dropped a GBU-43B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb, or MOAB, on an ISIS tunnel complex in the Nangarhar province in Afghanistan,the U.S. Central Command confirmed and CNN first reported.
The bomb, which was first used in combat in Thursday’s bombing, was dropped from an MC-130 flown by Air Force Special Operations Command, military sources told CNN..
The bomb weighs more than 21,000 pounds, CNN reported.
CENTCOM said U.S. military forces “took every precaution to avoid civilian casualties” and will continue offensive operations until ISIS is defeated.
A U.S. special forces soldier was killed Saturday in the area. Staff Sgt. Mark DeAlencar was with his unit when it came under fire in Nangarhar Province, Army Times reported.
There is no direct connection between DeAlencar’s death and Thursday’s attack, CNN reported.
Earlier this year President Donald Trump gave more authority to U.S. military commanders to order air and ground attacks, The Washington Examiner reported.
When asked about Thursday's use of the most powerful non-nuclear bomb, President Trump did not say whether he gave the approval, CNN reported.
“Everybody knows exactly what happens. So, what I do is I authorize our military,” Trump said.
“We have given them total authorization and that’s what they’re doing.”
CNN reported that Gen. John Nicholson is the person who gave the okay to use the MOAB. The administration was told before the bomb was released.
