{"id":27622,"date":"2018-07-23T20:24:52","date_gmt":"2018-07-23T20:24:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/07\/23\/us-strikes-continue-an-upward-trend-in-afghanistan\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T20:47:50","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T20:47:50","slug":"us-strikes-continue-an-upward-trend-in-afghanistan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/07\/23\/us-strikes-continue-an-upward-trend-in-afghanistan\/","title":{"rendered":"US strikes continue an upward trend in Afghanistan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

U.S. airstrikes against the Islamic State <\/a>militant group and the Taliban in Afghanistan continue to grow as the 17-year-old war in the country pushes into the summer fighting season<\/a> once more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Numbers released by U.S. Air Forces Central Command<\/a> show that while Afghanistan airstrikes trend upward<\/a> in Afghanistan, they are simultaneously decreasing in Iraq and Syria<\/a> as the war against ISIS’ main cohort there reportedly winds down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far this year, U.S. aircraft, including drones, have released 2,911 munitions in support of Operation Freedom\u2019s Sentinel \u2014 the American-led offensive against insurgent forces in Afghanistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The number of weapons dropped in the country already surpasses the totals from all years AFCENT has tracked, back to 2013, with the exception of 2017. Given that each month this year the number of weapons dropped is greater than each corresponding month in 2017, though, the total munitions dropped this year is on track to surpass even that year\u2019s previous high.<\/p>\n\n\n\t