2017 Nangarhar airstrike
On 13 April 2017, the United States conducted an airstrike in Achin District, located in the Nangarhar Province of eastern Afghanistan, near the border with Pakistan. The airstrike was carried out using the largest non-nuclear bomb in the United States' arsenal, the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), with the goal of destroying tunnel complexes used by the Islamic State – Khorasan Province (IS-KP).
| 2017 Nangarhar airstrike | |
|---|---|
| Part of the War in Afghanistan | |
Aerial footage of the MOAB striking Achin District, Afghanistan. | |
| Type | Airstrike, MOAB strike |
| Location | Achin District, Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan 34°04′24″N 70°37′52″E |
| Commanded by | John Nicholson |
| Target | Tunnels being used by Islamic State – Khorasan Province |
| Date | 13 April 2017 7:32 PM (UTC+04:30) |
| Executed by | United States Air Force |
| Casualties | 96 ISIL-K militants and 2 civilians (allegedly) |
Airstrike site Location of Achin district in Afghanistan | |
The bomb was dropped from the rear cargo door of a United States Air Force Lockheed MC-130. On 15 April 2017, Afghan officials reported that 96 IS-KP militants, including four commanders, were killed in the strike; this included Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Filipino nationals. According to an Afghan Army official, there were no civilians casualties.