US Drops ‘Mother Of All Bombs’ On ISIS In Afghanistan
by Saagar Enjeti
The U.S. dropped the largest non-nuclear bomb in its arsenal on the Islamic State in Afghanistan Thursday, CNN reports.
The mission will mark the first time the bomb has been used in combat. The munition is nicknamed the “mother of all bombs” (MOAB) and weighs approximately 20,000 pounds. The bomb is approximately 30ft long and detonates 6ft off the ground to increase its destructive power, and its official name is the a GBU-43 or or Massive Ordnance Air Blast.
ISIS’s affiliate in Afghanistan has proved resilient against U.S. and Afghan Security Forces raids. The bomb was reportedly dropped on Achin district in Nangarhar province, the known headquarters of the terrorist group.