Afghanistan: Reported US covert actions 2018

The timeline below contains information on all US air attacks on Afghanistan recorded by the Bureau in 2018. It is updated with the latest US air attacks. We also log Afghan Air Force attacks when they are reported. The Bureau collects information on the US and Afghan strikes and the people they kill from local and international media reports – including the Bureau’s own field investigations – as well as academics and NGOs that cite US, Afghan and Pakistani civil, military and intelligence officials, and witnesses and local people in the affected areas.

Please note that our data changes according to our current understanding of particular strikes. The information below represents our present best estimate.

Background

US aircraft have been bombing Afghanistan since late 2001 and the airstrikes have continued into the Trump administration. Up until December 2014 the US was operating in concert with its allies in the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force. Now it is just the US, and the Afghans, flying strike missions in the country.

The Bureau began tracking the strikes from January 1 2015 onwards, when the US and Nato’s combat mission in Afghanistan came to an end. The Afghan military and police took the lead in fighting the Taliban with the US and its international partners moving into a non-combat “train, advise, assist” role, supporting local forces.

US air forces are still flying combat missions however. There are three targeting authorities that govern the kind of strikes the US can conduct in Afghanistan.

Force protection strikes are intended to protect friendly ground forces who are under attack, or are about to be attacked. From January 1 2015 the US was supposed to stop deliberately going after the Taliban, leaving that to the Afghans. But in June 2016, with the Taliban pushing the Afghan forces to breaking point, the US went on the offensive against the Taliban, under “strategic effect” strikes.

The third authority governs the US’s counter-terrorism strikes, part of its offensive operations against al Qaeda and, since January 2016, Afghanistan’s Islamic State offshoot.

Full data

The Bureau publishes a narrative timeline of US strikes in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Somalia and Yemen each year. Links for all other timelines can be found here.

We also publish spreadsheets detailing casualty numbers in each country. You can download the entire Afghanistan sheet here.

Reported US strikes, Afghanistan 2018
Strikes recorded by the Bureau
Total reported strikes 1985-1986
Total reported killed 767-1060
Civilians reported killed 92-163
Children reported killed 14-51
Total reported injured 106-166
US Air Force reported air operations, Afghanistan 2018
Total Close Air Support (CAS) sorties with at least one weapon release 783
Total CAS sorties 6,584
Total weapons released 5982

Strikes Page 3

AFG1078 link

15 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

Two strikes hit Farah province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1077 link

14 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

A strike hit Parwan province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1076 link

14 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

A strike hit Paktika province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1075 link

14 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

Two strikes hit Nuristan province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1074 link

14 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

Three strikes hit Nangarhar province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1073 link

14 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

A strike hit Laghman province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1072 link

14 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

A strike hit Jowzjan province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1071 link

14 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

Six strikes hit Helmand province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1070 link

14 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

One strike hit Ghazni province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1069 link

14 December 2018

  • 8-13 civilians reported killed
  • 0-12 children reported killed
  • 17-18 civilians reported injured

A US airstrike in Kunar province caused 31 civilian casualties - 13 deaths and 18 injured, including 28 women and children - according to a UNAMA report.

The US military later conceded that eight civilians died and 17 were injured in this strike in their annual report on civilian harm.

There had been previous reports of a strike killing civilians in Kunar's Sheltan district. However details of what happened and who carried out the strike was unclear at the time with the US response to the allegations appearing confused.

Resolute Support initially denied to the media that the US had carried out airstrikes in Kunar at the time of this incident. However, US Spokesperson Sgt. Debra Richardson reportedly told AP that the US strikes had been requested by the Afghan forces, who led the Kunar offensive. They were accompanied by a handful of American soldiers acting in an advisory capacity.

Reuters later updated their report to indicate that whilst Resolute Support denied any allegations of civilian deaths, it did acknowledge that some civilians had been injured from international military forces operations.

UNAMA's report detailed this incident:

National Directorate of Security Special Forces in that region (NDS-02), accompanied by international military forces, conducted a night search operation against a suspected Taliban location inside a compound in a village under Taliban control. The target of the operation was a senior Taliban commander. After NDS-02 arrived in the village by helicopter, they called for certain people – including the commander – to come out of the building. Taliban then started firing towards NDS-02 from the surrounding houses and compounds, which resulted in a protracted firefight until approximately 04h00 on 14 December. International military forces engaged in aerial attacks in support of NDS-02 forces on the ground, reportedly targeting Taliban inside the compound from which there was firing. Following the airstrikes, NDS-02 forces took four civilian men out of their homes and shot them dead.

Following their investigation, UNAMA attributed 31 civilian casualties - 13 deaths and 18 injured, including 28 women and children, to US forces as a result of the airstrike.

Abdul Latif Fazly, a member of the provincial council, said eight women and 12 children were killed and more than 15 civilians were injured in the incident.

Kunar governor Abdul Satar Mirzakwal said an operation by Afghan forces in Sheltan district killed 38 Taliban and al Qaeda members, injuring 12 more. He did say number of civilians had also been hit in a strike, but had no details. He did say a fact finding team had been sent out and that they knew a number of civilians including women and children has been killed.

The civilian casualties reportedly occurred during an attack targeting a local Taliban commander identified as Sharif Mawiya. It was not clear whether he had been killed.

The Taliban have claimed that over 60 civilians were killed in a strike.

We have recently published an investigation into the National Directorate of Security Special Forces (the "02" unit), the CIA-backed Afghan special forces unit that has been accused of human rights atrocities and their ability to call in airstrikes.

AFG1068 link

13 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

A strike hit Paktia province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1067 link

13 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

Two strikes hit Nangarhar province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1066 link

13 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

Five strikes hit Kunar province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1065 link

13 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

Seven strikes hit Helmand province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1064 link

13 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

A strike hit Balkh province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1063 link

13 December 2018

  • 3 reported killed

A US drone strike killed a key Taliban leader in Zabul, according to Khaama Press.

A statement from the provincial police reportedly said that he was killed alongside two other insurgents around 4pm local time on December 13.

Colonel Mohamamd Mustafa Mayar, the police chief of Zabul, said the leader, named as Haroon, was involved in several beheadings of tribal elders and security personnel. He was also the Taliban's shadow military chief in Zabul's Shahjoi district, Colonel Mayar said.

The US later confirmed a strike on this day in the province.

AFG1062 link

12 December 2018

Three strikes hit Laghman province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1061 link

12 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

Three strikes hit Helmand province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

Local officials in Helmand have reported that a Taliban command and control centre was destroyed in the province.It was not clear whether Afghan or US forces carried out the strike. It was also not clear when the strike took place, but it was reported on December 12.


AFG1060 link

12 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

One strike hit Ghazni province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1059 link

12 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

Three strikes hit Faryab province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1058 link

12 December 2018

  • 0-7 reported killed

Four strikes hit Nangarhar province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

There had been a report of a US strike targeting an vehicle carrying members of Afghanistan's branch of Islamic State in Nangarhar's Charparhar district. At least seven members of the group were allegedly killed.

The sourcing was too vague to include this strike in our database at the time, but we will record a casualty toll to reflect the possibility that this was one of the three confirmed strikes.

AFG1057 link

11 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

Two strikes hit Paktika province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1056 link

11 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

Two strikes hit Nangarhar province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1055 link

11 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

Two strikes hit Kandahar province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1054 link

11 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

Three strikes hit Helmand province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1053 link

11 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

Four strikes hit Ghazni province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1052 link

10 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

A strike hit Kandahar province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1051 link

9 December 2018

A strike hit Helmand province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1050 link

9 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

A strike hit Helmand province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1049 link

8 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

A strike hit Laghman province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1048 link

8 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

Two strikes hit Helmand province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1047 link

7 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

Two strikes hit Wardak province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1046 link

7 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

Five strikes hit Nangarhar province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1045 link

7 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

A strike hit Laghman province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1044 link

7 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

A strike hit Khost province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1043 link

7 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

Two strikes hit Kapisa province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1042 link

7 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

Seven strikes hit Helmand province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1041 link

7 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

A strike hit Badakhshan province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1040 link

6 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

A strike hit Uruzgan province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1039 link

6 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

Four strikes hit Paktika province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1038 link

6 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

Three strikes hit Nangarhar province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1037 link

6 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

A strike hit Kapisa province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1036 link

6 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

Ten strikes hit Helmand province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1035 link

6 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

One strike hit Ghazni province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1034 link

5 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

Two strikes hit Nangarhar province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1033 link

5 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

Ten strikes hit Kapisa province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1032 link

5 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

Ten strikes hit Helmand province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1031 link

5 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

One strike hit Ghazni province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1030 link

5 December 2018

  • Unknown casualties

A strike hit Balkh province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.

AFG1029 link

5 December 2018

Two strikes hit Farah province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.

Provincial Police Spokesperson Mohibullah Mohib had reported a drone strike in Farah's Khak i Safid killing ten Taliban gunmen, including a commander identified as Aqa Mir aka Adalat.