Afghanistan: Reported US covert actions 2019
The timeline below contains information on all US air attacks on Afghanistan recorded by the Bureau in 2019. 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.
| Strikes recorded by the Bureau | |
|---|---|
| Total reported strikes | 4251 |
| Total reported killed | 58-2954 |
| Civilian reported killed | 22-249 |
| Children reported killed | 11-47 |
| Total reported injured | 35-614 |
| Total Close Air Support (CAS) sorties with at least one weapon release | 1548 |
| Total CAS sorties | 5659 |
| Total weapons released | 4483 |
Strikes Page 31
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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Helmand province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Nangarhar province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Kapisa province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Helmand province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
One strike hit Ghazni province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.
There had been previous reports of an airstrike in Ghazni on this day. Khaama Press reported that an airstrike in the Geru district killed 31 al Qaeda fighters, including nine suicide bombers.
A statement from the Ministry of Defence said that the strikes targeted an al Qaeda compound that was led by Qari Arif, in the Geru district of Ghazni.
Several vehicles were also reportedly destroyed in the strikes.
It was unclear in Khaama Press' report whether US air support or Afghan forces were responsible for the attack. They also did not provide a specific date for this strike so we cannot be certain that it corresponds to the strike in the USAF data.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Ghazni province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary, Khaama Press
One strike 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Farah province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
One strike hit Balkh province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.
There had been previous reports of a strike in Balkh around this time. Khaama Press reported that an airstrike in the Chitmal district killed seven Taliban fighters, according to their "informed military sources".
Khaama Press did not specify a date for this strike, but as it was reported on March 14 it is possible that they were referring to the same strike as the USAF data, which occurred the day before.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Balkh province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary, Khaama Press
An airstrike that struck a convoy of Taliban fighters in northern Kunduz province killed seven fighters, Khaama Press reported.
According to the 209th Shaheen Corps, a part of the Afghan military, the strike was carried out at 12:30am local time in Kunduz's Khanabad district.
Their statement further added that the Taliban commander Mullah Alauddin alias Wasiq was killed along with six of his fighters as they were travelling to Khwajah Pesta.
The convoy was reportedly identified during a surveillance mission.
It is unclear whether US air support or Afghan forces were responsible for the attack, so we are unable to record it in our database of confirmed US strikes.
In their monthly release of airstrike data, US Forces - Afghanistan did not report any strikes in Kunduz province on March 13.
- Type of strike: Possible US strike
- Location: Khanabad district, northern Kunduz province
- Reference: Khaama Press
Two strikes 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Uruzgan province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
One strike 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Nangarhar province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
One strike hit Kunduz 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Helmand province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
One 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Kapisa province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
One 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Kandahar province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
Eight 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Helmand province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
Seven Taliban fighters were killed in a US airstrike in Ghazni province, though it is unclear whether civilians were also killed, according to locals.
Arif Noori, a spokesperson for the provincial governor, stated that seven Taliban were killed, including a group leader in a drone strike in Andar district.
However, according to AP, dozens of people brought dead bodies to the governor's office claiming that those killed in the strikes were civilians.
A Resolute Support spokesperson, Sgt 1st Class Debra Richardson, confirmed that the airstrike killed seven Taliban.
Another AP source, Shamsuddin, stated that those killed were civilians and demanded an investigation.
We have included a civilian casualty range to reflect the confusion over civilian status.
Two strikes hit Ghazni province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Andar district, Ghazni province
- References: Associated Press, US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
One strikes hit Nimroz 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Nimroz province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
One strike hit Paktiya 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Paktiya province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
Three 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Ghazni province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
Three strikes hit Wardak province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.
There had been previous reports of strikes in Wardak on this day. Khaama Press reported that 15 Taliban fighters, including three commanders, had been killed in Central Maidan, Sayyidabad district.
In one Khaama Press report, their "informed military sources" told them that Ubaid, who was killed in the attack, had been responsible for several assassinations on government employees.
Khaama Press did not give a date for this specific airstrike, so we cannot be certain that it corresponds with the strike in the US data.
In a second report, they stated two further commanders were killed in airstrikes in Wardak. Ghorzang, was reportedly responsible for coordinating high-profile attacks and planned abductions of Afghan civilians. Saifullah, an al-Hamza Battalion Commander, was reportedly responsible for training suicide bombers.
Twelve of Saifullah's fighters were also killed in the attack, their source added.
It had been unclear in Khaama Press' reports whether US air support or Afghan forces were responsible for the attack.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Wardak province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary, Khaama Press, Khaama Press
Seven strikes 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Uruzgan province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
One strike hit Logar province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.
There had been previous reports of a strike in Logar on this day. Khaama Press reported that Taliban commander, Abu Zar, was killed in a strike in Muhammad Aghah district, according to their "informed military sources".
It was unclear in their report whether US air support or Afghan forces were responsible for the attack.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Logar province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary, Khaama Press
At least 13 civilians, including several children, were killed in US airstrikes conducted in support of an Afghan-led operation, local tribal elders and officials told the New York Times.
The strikes hit two civilian homes in the village of Naser Khil, tribal elder, Ruzi Khan Maruf, told NYT.
In one house, the village’s lone doctor, his wife and their five teenage daughters were killed, Mr. Maruf said by telephone. In the other, the doctor’s brother, his wife and their four children — three teenage girls and a boy — reportedly died. The brother was an Afghan soldier, Mr. Maruf said.
The US military are reportedly looking into the allegations of civilian harm, though they did admit that the strikes took place.
“In self-defense, precision airstrikes were used to support the troops on the ground,” Sgt. First Class Debra Richardson, told NYT. “We are fighting in a complex environment against those who intentionally kill and hide behind civilians. We hold ourselves to the highest standards of accuracy and accountability, and we are looking into this.”
It was reported that members of a CIA-sponsored Afghan strike force called in air support when they came under fire during an assault on the Taliban. 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.
The governor of Nangarhar, Shah Mahmood Miakhel, said that an important Taliban commander had been killed in the strikes.
Two strikes hit Nangarhar province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Naser Khil village, Hesarak district, Nangarhar province
- References: New York Times, US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Helmand province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
Two 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Ghazni province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
Three 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Wardak province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
Two strikes 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Uruzgan province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Helmand province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
One strike 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Nangarhar province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
Two strikes hit Logar 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Logar province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
One civilian was killed in a US airstrike in Kunduz City, according to New York Times' weekly Afghan War Casualty Report.
US airstrikes were reportedly bombing targets in the area of Telawka when the civilians were killed.
The information was published as part of a weekly Afghan casualty monitoring report the NYT releases. It didn't include sourcing information, but we contacted the reporter who put it together. He confirmed that that the sourcing met our methodological standards.
According to data from US Forces - Afghanistan, three strikes hit Kunduz province on this day.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Telawka area, Kunduz City, Kunduz province
- References: The New York Times, US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
One 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Helmand province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
Six 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Ghazni province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
One 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Helmand province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
One strike hit Logar 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Logar province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
One strike hit Kunduz 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Kunduz province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
Two strikes hit Helmand province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.
There had been previous reports of a strike in Helmand on this day. Khaama Press reported that a strike in the Nahr e Saraj district killed one Taliban fighter, according to their "informed military sources".
It was unclear in the Khaama Press report whether US air support or Afghan forces had been responsible for the attack.
Khaama Press did not specify a date for the strike that they were reporting on, so we cannot be certain that it corresponds to the strike in the US data.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Helmand province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary, Khaama Press
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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Ghazni province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
One strike 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Nangarhar province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
One strike hit Laghman province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.
There had been previous reports of a strike in Laghman on this day. Khaama Press reported that 11 Taliban fighters had been killed in the Mehtar Lam district, including one of their commanders.
It was unclear in the Khaama Press report whether US air support of Afghan forces were responsible for the attack.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Laghman province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary, Khaama Press
One strike hit Kandahar province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.
There had been previous reports of strikes in Kandahar around this time. Khaama Press reported that an airstrike in the Ghorak district killed one Taliban fighter and injured two others, according to their "informed military sources".
It was unclear in the Khaama Press report whether US air support or Afghan forces were responsible for the attack.
Khaama Press did not specify a date for this strike, but as it was reported on March 7 it is possible that they were referring to the same strike as the USAF data, which occurred the day before.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Kandahar province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary, Khaama Press
Three strikes hit Helmand province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.
These strikes destroyed one tactical unit.
No further details were given. To see more about the release of this data, click here.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Helmand province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Ghazni province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
An airstrike in Uruzgan province killed 14 Taliban fighters, Khaama Press reported.
Their "informed military sources" told them that the strike in Tarin Kot City killed the 14 fighters.
It is unclear whether US air support or Afghan forces were responsible for the attack, so we are unable to record it in our database of confirmed US strikes.
Khaama Press did not give a date for this specific airstrike, so we have recorded it as the date that it was reported on.
In their monthly release of airstrike data, US Forces - Afghanistan did not report any strikes in Uruzgan province on March 6.
- Type of strike: Possible US strike
- Location: Tarin Kot City, Uruzgan province
- Reference: Khaama Press
Four strikes hit Uruzgan province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.
There had been previous reports of a strike in Uruzgan on this day. Khaama Press reported that two Taliban fighters had been killed in Tarin Kot, according to their "informed military sources".
It is unclear whether US air support or Afghan forces were responsible for that attack.
Khaama Press did not provide a date for this strike, so it was recorded as the date that they reported on it [March 5]. We therefore cannot be certain that this report corresponds to the strike in the USAF data.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Uruzgan province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary, Khaama Press
Four strikes hit Nangarhar province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.
There had been previous reports of a strike in Nangarhar on this day. Khaama Press reported that a Taliban District Shadow Governor had been killed in an airstrike.
Their "informed military sources" told them that the strike in the Gandomak area killed the Tablian's District Shadow Governor for Chaparhar district, Shaheen.
It was unclear in the Khaama Press report whether US air support or Afghan forces had been responsible for the attack.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Nangarhar province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary, Khaama Press
One 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Laghman province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
One 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Kandahar province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
Seven 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Ghazni province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
Two strikes 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Uruzgan province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Nangarhar province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
