“U.S. forces are providing air support and also support on the ground — there are some U.S. advisers with Afghan forces,” said Ismail Shinwary, the district governor of Achin.
Ahmad Jawid Salim, a spokesman for the Afghan Army commandos, said that the operation in Achin had been underway for 45 days but that progress had stalled in the Tangi Assadkhel area of the district, where the bomb was dropped. On Sunday, an American special forces soldier, Staff Sergeant Mark R. De Alencar, 37, was killed near there.
“Our foreign counterparts used all available weapons” to destroy the Islamic State havens in Tangi Assadkhel, Mr. Salim said. “But because the posts and havens of I.S. were very strong, it was decided to use this big bomb.”
