According to a new Report released by the US Air Force Central Command, a total of 751 airstrikes targeting ISIS and Taliban militant groups were carried out last month alone. They were carried out by US-led forces, NBC News reported.
According to the command's report, there was a 50 percent increase in bombings in September when compared to August. The record for the most bombings in a month occurred in October 2010, with a total of 1,043 airstrikes against Afghan extremists.
Efforts to establish the number of people killed during the airstrikes by NBC News did not bear fruit, as US and Afghan military officials did not respond to inquiries on the matter.
New government strategy
Since assuming office early this year, President Trump announced a new military strategy for afghanistan, in August, that saw the number of troops deployed in the country increased. Also, a more 'proactive' approach was launched to target extremist groups, according to the report.
To enable the capacity of such a massive airstrike campaign, the US government increased its striking force at Bagram Airbase by adding six more F16's and B-52's, the command's report observed.
Another factor that contributed to the increase of airstrikes, was when the White House accorded Defense Secretary James Mattis the power to review the rules of engagement in Afghanistan and make any necessary changes depending on the situation on the ground.
Afghan war
The US military has been fighting Taliban and ISIS forces since 2001, overthrowing the Taliban government which had given Osama bin Laden a safe haven in the country. Osama was responsible for the 9/11 attacks on the US.
On assuming office, Trump's original plan for the war-torn nation was to withdraw US forces but changed his mind when he realized by doing so, the Taliban and other extremist groups would return to the reins of power.
By not sticking to a specific timetable and letting the situation on the ground dictate the terms of the war, the US-led forces have made significant gains in the war on terror.
While speaking to the House Armed Committee last week, Mattis pointed out that the restrictions that limited the military's ability to 'employ airpower fully', had been lifted.
He also added that the Defense Department was 'no longer bound' by the need for proximity of its forces.
A separate United Nations report released in July, however, noted that civilian deaths had hit a 16-year high, with women and children bearing the greatest brunt of the war.
