U.S. Military Carries Out Additional Airstrikes Against the Taliban in Afghanistan

Tension in Afghanistan is multiplying as the U.S. military carried out two strikes against the Taliban earlier this week in support of Afghan forces. The military obtained the authority to carry out the airstrikes in support of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces during the final stages of U.S. troops withdrawal. According to a defense official, the U.S. military has carried out six or seven strikes in the past 30 days using drones to launch them. Three of the last four, targeted captured equipment including U.S. equipment transferred to the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces that the Taliban captured as it advanced through the country.

Yesterday, the house approved legislation to expand and streamline a visa program for Afghan translators and other personnel who worked with the U.S. military and are now trying to leave the country. The house passed the legislation with a vote of 407 to 16. The bill will make a number of changes to the Afghanistan special immigrant visa program and increases the number of available visas by 8,000, while further clarifying who is eligible for the program. Earlier this week the Biden Administration announced the first group of applicants would be relocated from Afghanistan to Fort Lee in Virginia and officials are in talks with additional countries to host Afghans in the pipeline. The initial group will include 2,500 people.