U.S. airstrike targets Taliban

‘Defensive’ assault first since Afghanistan peace deal signing

KABUL, Afghanistan — The U.S. on Wednesday conducted its first airstrike against Taliban forces in Afghanistan since signing an ambitious peace deal with the militant group.

U.S. military spokesman Col. Sonny Leggett said in a tweet that the “defensive” strike was the first U.S. attack against the militants in 11 days. He said the attack was to counter a Taliban assault on Afghan government forces in Nahr-e Saraj in Helmand province.

Leggett added that Taliban forces had conducted 43 attacks on Afghan troops on Tuesday in Helmand. He called on the Taliban to stop the attacks and uphold their commitments based on the peace agreement signed Saturday, which lays out a conditions-based path to the withdrawal of American forces.

The Afghan Interior Ministry said that four civilians and 11 troops were killed Wednesday in a wave of

Taliban attacks across the country.

According to ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi, Afghan forces killed at least 17 Taliban members during these clashes.

The Afghan Defense Ministry earlier said that seven soldiers were killed in a Taliban attack on a checkpoint in northern Kunduz province.

Kandahar police spokesman Jamal Naser Barekzai told The Associated Press that one police officer was killed and one was hurt in a string of Taliban attacks across the province.

The Taliban have not claimed responsibility for any of these attacks so far or commented on the U.S. airstrike Wednesday.

However, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told the AP Wednesday that a week of reduction in violence that started midnight on Feb. 21 had ended.