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 33
Three 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
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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Kandahar province
- References: 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
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 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 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
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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Nangarhar province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
Eight 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Kandahar province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
One strike hit Herat 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: Herat province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
Four 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Faryab 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 Kabul 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: Kabul 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
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
Five fighters from Afghanistan's branch of the Islamic State were killed in an airstrike in the Khogyani district of Nangarhar province, Khaama press reported.
It was not clear whether US or Afghan forces were responsible for the attack.
Khaama Press' information came from "informed military sources" who stated that the airstrike had happened during the last 24 hours. It is unclear when this strike occurred, so we have recorded it as the date that Khaama Press reported on it.
We are unable to record this strike in our database of confirmed US strikes due to vague sourcing.
In their monthly release of airstrike data, US Forces - Afghanistan did not report any strikes in Nangarhar province on February 17.
- Type of strike: Possible US strike
- Location: Khogyani district, Nangarhar province
- Reference: Khaama Press
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
Three 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Kandahar 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 Taliban fighter was killed in an airstrike in the Ghazni's Qarabagh district, Khaama Press reported.
It was not clear whether US or Afghan forces were responsible for the attack.
Khaama Press' information came from "informed military sources" who stated that the airstrike had happened during the last 24 hours. It is unclear whether this specific strike took place on the 15 or the 16, so we have recorded it as the date that Khaama Press reported on it.
We are unable to record this strike in our database of confirmed US strikes due to vague sourcing.
In their monthly release of airstrike data, US Forces - Afghanistan did not report any strikes in Ghazni province on February 16.
- Type of strike: Possible US strike
- Location: Qarabagh district, Ghazni province
- Reference: Khaama Press
Twenty one Taliban fighters were killed in an airstrike in Tarin kot City, Uruzgan, Khaama Press reported.
It was not clear whether US or Afghan forces were responsible for the attack.
Khaama Press' information came from "informed military sources" who stated that the airstrike had happened during the last 24 hours. It is unclear whether this specific strike took place on the 15 or the 16, so we have recorded it as the date that Khaama Press reported on it.
We are unable to record this strike in our database of confirmed US strikes due to vague sourcing.
In their monthly release of airstrike data, US Forces - Afghanistan did not report any strikes in Uruzgan province on February 16.
- Type of strike: Possible US strike
- Location: Tarin kot City, Uruzgan province
- Reference: Khaama Press
One 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Uruzgan province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
Two strikes hit Laghman province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.
There had been a previous report of a strike in Laghman on this day. Khaama Press reported that a Taliban shadow judge and four other fighters were killed in airstrikes carried out by the coalition.
Information provided by the 201st Silab Corps, which is part of the Afghan Military, stated that the airstrikes were carried out in the Mar Sangi area of Badpakh district on Friday 15.
The statement further identified those fighters who were killed as: Mawlavi Lal Mohammad, Mawlavi Fazaluddin, Abdul Ahmad, Mawlavi Nsir and Abdullah.
Khaama Press is likely referring to the Nato coalition, in which the US is the only country known to be flying strike missions.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Badpakh district, Laghman province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary, Khaama Press
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 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 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 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
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
Four 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
Two strikes hit Nangarhar province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.
There had been a previous report of a strike in Nangarhar on this day. Khaama Press reported that two fighters from Afghanistan's branch of the Islamic State were killed in a coalition airstrike in Khogyani.
Their information came from "informed military sources" who stated that the airstrike had happened during the last 24 hours. It is unclear whether this specific strike took place on the 9 or the 10, so we have recorded it as the date that Khaama Press reported on it.
Khaama Press is likely referring to the Nato coalition, in which the US is the only country known to be flying strike missions.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Khogyani district, Nangarhar province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary, Khaama Press
Six strikes hit Helmand province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.
There had been a previous report of a strike in Helmand on this day. Khaama Press reported that seven militants were killed in coalition airstrikes on Washer district, Helmand province and Chimtal district, Balkh province.
There was no further detail reported on how many fighters were killed in each strike, or which group they belonged to.
Their information came from "informed military sources" who stated that the airstrike had happened during the last 24 hours. It is unclear whether this specific strike took place on the 9 or the 10, so we have recorded it as the date that Khaama Press reported on it.
Khaama Press is likely referring to the Nato coalition, in which the US is the only country known to be flying strike missions.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Washer district, Helmand province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary, Khaama Press
One strike hit Balkh province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.
There had been a previous report of a strike in Balkh on this day. Khaama Press reported that seven militants were killed in coalition airstrikes on Washer district, Helmand province and Chimtal district, Balkh province.
There was no further detail reported on how many fighters were killed in each strike, or which group they belonged to.
Their information came from "informed military sources" who stated that the airstrike had happened during the last 24 hours. It is unclear whether this specific strike took place on the 9 or the 10, so we have recorded it as the date that Khaama Press reported on it.
Khaama Press is likely referring to the Nato coalition, in which the US is the only country known to be flying strike missions.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Chimtal district, Balkh province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary, Khaama Press
A key Taliban commander, Ibrahim Rahmat, was killed in a foreign forces airstrike in Ghazni, Tolo News reported.
Tolo News are likely referring to the US when they reported "foreign forces" as they are the only country known to be flying strike missions.
Their information came from security officials in Helmand province, however we are unable to record this strike in our database of confirmed US strikes due to vague sourcing.
There was no further detail provided as to whether anybody else was killed in the attack.
In their monthly release of airstrike data, US Forces - Afghanistan did not report any strikes in Ghazni province on February 10.
- Type of strike: Possible US strike
- Location: Nahri Saraj district, Ghazni province
- Reference: Tolo News
Three strikes hit Wardak province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.
There had been a previous report of a strike in Wardak on this day. Khaama Press reported that eleven Taliban fighters were killed during a "partnered helicopter raid led by Afghan Special Forces".
It is unclear who the partner in this operation was, however, the US are the only known country to be flying strike missions.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Sayyidabad district, Wardak province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary, Khaama Press
23 strikes hit Uruzgan province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.
There had been a previous report of a strike in Uruzgan on this day. Khaama Press reported that seven Taliban fighters were killed in a coalition airstrike in Tarin kot City, according to their "informed military sources".
They are likely referring to the Nato coalition, in which the US is the only country known to be flying strike missions.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Tarin Kot City, Uruzgan province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary, Khaama Press
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
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
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.
- 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
Two Taliban fighters were killed during a "partnered helicopter raid led by Afghan Special Forces" in Logar province, Khaama Press reported.
It is unclear who the partner in this operation was, however, the US are the only known country to be flying strike missions.
Their information came from "informed military officials", however the sourcing is too vague to include in our database of confirmed US strikes.
In their monthly release of airstrike data, US Forces - Afghanistan did not report any strikes in Logar province on February 9.
- Type of strike: Possible US strike
- Location: Charkh district, Logar province
- Reference: Khaama Press
One 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Uruzgan 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
Three strikes hit Ghazni province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.
There had been previous reports of strikes in Ghazni on this day.
One report from Khaama Press, stated that eight Taliban fighters were killed in a coalition airstrike in Ghazni province.
Their information came from a provincial police command statement that stated that coalition forces targeted two vehicles at around 5:40pm local time on Friday 8. It further noted that one of the fighters killed was the Taliban's military commission chief, Mawlavi Sahar.
A separate report from Khaama Press stated that four Taliban fighters were killed and two enemy vehicles destroyed in a coalition airstrike.
Receiving their information from "informed military sources", they reported that the coalition struck an illegal Taliban checkpoint on Highway 1 in Ghazni's Qarabagh district.
It is not clear whether these reports were referring to separate strikes within Ghazni.
Khaama Press is likely referring to the Nato coalition, in which the US is the only country known to be flying strike missions.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Qarabagh district, Ghazni province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary, Khaama Press, Khaama Press
Reports have surfaced of US strikes killing civilians in Helmand's Sangin district, although the details of what exactly happened are unclear.
Mohammad Hashim Alkozai, a senator from Helmand, said two strikes led to civilian casualties - one killed 13 civilians and the second killed a further eight. Five others were wounded, he said.
However, the death toll Alkozai gave the New York Times seemed to differ - he told them that 14 civilians were killed and six wounded in strikes on two houses.
A US military spokesperson has confirmed US strikes in the province late Friday night and early Saturday morning, but did not confirm or deny that civilians had been killed. Military officials were looking into the incident, the spokesperson said.
Seven strikes hit Helmand province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.
Two residents of the district said that eight members of a single family were killed by strikes on one house and two more in a nearby structure, among them women and children.
Aslam Khan told the New York Times that the home of his brother had been attacked. According to Khan, a helicopter fired on the house when his brother, Assti Khan, switched on a flashlight to find his shoes. The shots killed Assti Khan’s 10-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter and wounded his wife and 18-year-old daughter, he said.
Haji Mohammad Dawoud, a Sangin resident, said Taliban fighters had fired from a building next to the home of a local man, Nader Shah, reportedly killing eight of his family members.
Omer Zwak, the provincial governor's spokesman, confirmed that there were civilian casualties from strikes in the area. He said insurgents fired on Afghan forces from a civilian area.
According to US Spokesperson Sgt. First Class Debra Richardson, a joint team of Afghan and American commandos had conducted an operation targeting a Taliban operations center in Sangin. She said airstrikes were called in after a Taliban insurgent fired at Afghan and American forces from a structure in a civilian area.
The UN's mission in Afghanistan has said they are looking into the reports of civilian casualties, which they said were credible.
On January 24, another civilian casualty incident was reported in Sangin.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Sangin district, Helmand province
- References: Associated Press, The New York Times, UNAMA on twitter, US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
Six strikes hit Nangarhar province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.
There had been a previous report of a strike in Nangarhar on this day. Khaama Press reported that two fighters from Afghanistan's branch of the Islamic State were killed in a coalition airstrike in Khogyani.
Their information came from "informed military sources" who stated that the airstrike had happened during the last 24 hours. It is unclear whether this specific strike took place on the 6 or the 7, so we have recorded it as the date that Khaama Press reported on it.
Khaama Press is likely referring to the Nato coalition, in which the US is the only country known to be flying strike missions.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Khogyani district, Nangarhar province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary, Khaama Press
One 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Khost province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
Three 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.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Kandahar province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary
Four 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 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
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
Five strikes hit Helmand province on this day, according to data from US Forces - Afghanistan.
There had been a previous report of a strike in Helmand province on this day. Khaama Press reported that three Taliban fighters had been killed in a coalition airstrike.
Their information came from "informed military sources" who stated that the airstrike was carried out in the Sangin district of the province.
Khaama Press is likely referring to the Nato coalition, in which the US is the only country known to be flying strike missions.
- Type of strike: US air or drone strike
- Location: Sangin district, Helmand province
- References: US Forces - Afghanistan strike summary, Khaama Press
