![]() US Forces will continue offensive operations until ISIS-K is destroyed in Afghanistan,” read the statement from US Forces Afghanistan. “US forces took every precaution to avoid civilian casualties with this strike. “This is the right munition to reduce these obstacles and maintain the momentum of our offensive against ISIS-K,” Nicholson added. ![]() “As ISIS-K’s losses have mounted, they are using IEDs, bunkers and tunnels to thicken their defense,” Nicholson said in a statement following the strike. “The #MOAB explosive yield is 0.011 kilotons, typical nuclear yield is 10-180 kilotons - the US alone possesses over 7000 nuclear weapons,” he tweeted. The target set has also been expanded to include targets buried under softer surfaces, like caves or tunnels.īut while the MOAB bomb detonates with the power of 18,000 pounds of tritonal explosives, the size of its explosion pales in comparison to that of a nuclear bomb.Īfghanistan ambassador weighs in on bombingįormer Defense Secretary William Perry described the stark difference in power between a MOAB and nuclear bomb. This munition was developed during the Iraq war and is an air blast-type warhead that explodes before hitting the ground in order to project a a massive blast to all sides.ĭuring the final stages of testing in 2003, military officials told CNN that the MOAB was mainly conceived as a weapon employed for “psychological operations.” Military officials said they hoped the MOAB would create such a huge blast that it would rattle Iraqi troops and pressure them into surrendering or not even fighting.Īs originally conceived, the MOAB was to be used against large formations of troops and equipment or hardened above-ground bunkers. This is the first time a MOAB has been used in the battlefield, according to the US officials.
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