Top US official visits Afghanistan after megabomb attack

Men from the Solidarity Party of Afghanistan wear masks of US president Trump, Afghan president Ashraf Ghani and his chief executive Abdullah Abdullah, carrying a hand made model of the 'Mother of allShow more

KABUL // The US national security advisor arrived in Kabul on Sunday days after the American military dropped its largest non-nuclear bomb on ISIL hideouts in eastern Afghanistan, killing nearly a hundred militants.

On his first visit to the country as president Donald Trump’s envoy, General HR McMaster said on Twitter he was holding “very important talks on mutual cooperation” with president Ashraf Ghani and other top officials.

Mr Ghani’s office later said Gen McMaster discussed security issues and counter-terrorism efforts as well as reforms aimed at tackling corruption.

“As a result of joint Afghan and international forces efforts, no safe havens will be left for terrorists in Afghanistan,” Gen McMaster was quoted as saying in a readout that gave few clues to the Trump administration’s future course of action in the country.

US-led Nato troops have been at war in Afghanistan since 2001, after the Taliban regime was ousted for refusing to hand over Osama bin Laden following the 9/11 attacks in the US.

The US has around 8,400 troops in the country with another 5,000 from Nato allies, as efforts to negotiate a lasting peace settlement between Kabul and the Taliban have repeatedly fallen through.

On Thursday, the US military in Afghanistan dropped its GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast, dubbed the “Mother of All Bombs” in combat for the first time. The target was ISIL hideouts in the Achin district of Nangarhar province.

Afghanistan’s defence ministry on Sunday put the death toll at 95 militants and no civilian deaths.

The attack triggered global shockwaves, with some condemning the use of Afghanistan as what they called a testing ground for the weapon, and against a militant group that is not considered as big a threat as the resurgent Taliban.

It came a week after US President Donald Trump ordered missile strikes against Syria in retaliation for a suspected chemical attack, and as China warned of the potential for conflict amid rising US tensions with North Korea.

* Agence France-Presse

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■ 'It was the sound of hell' say Afghans

■ Analysis: ISIL in Afghanistan: how big a threat is it?

■ Editorial: Afghan bomb was warning to US foes

■ Video: US drops 'Mother Of All Bombs' on ISIL in Afghanistan

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