U.S.'mother of all bombs' killed 36 Islamic State militants in Afghanistan

At a village about 3 miles (5 km) from the remote, mountainous area where the bomb was dropped, witnesses said the ground shook, but homes and shops appeared unaffected.
"Last night's bomb was really huge, when it dropped, everywhere, it was shaking," said a resident, Palstar Khan, adding that he believed no civilians were in the area hit.
Other residents said they saw militants climbing up and down the mountain every day, making occasional visits to the village.

"They were Arabs, Pakistanis, Chinese and local insurgents coming to buy from shops in the bazaar," said resident Raz Mohammad.
On Friday, the village was swarming with Afghan and international troops, as helicopters and other aircraft flew overhead.
The strike was part of a joint operation by Afghan and international troops, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's office said in a statement.
"Afghan and foreign troops closely coordinated this operation and were extra cautious to avoid any civilian casualties," it said.
Former Afghan president Hamid Karzai condemned the use of the weapon on Afghan soil.
"This is not the war on terror, but the inhuman and most brutal misuse of our country as testing ground for new and dangerous weapons," he said on social media network Twitter.
The Taliban condemned the use of the bomb, saying in a statement, "Using this massive bomb cannot be justified and will leave a material and psychological impact on our people."

American officials said the bomb had been positioned for possible use in Afghanistan for "some time" since the administration of former president Barack Obama.
The United States has steadily intensified its air campaign against Islamic State and Taliban militants in Afghanistan, with the Air Force deploying nearly 500 weapons in the first three months of 2017, up from 300 in the corresponding 2016 period.
Thursday's strike was not the first time Islamic State fighters have been targeted by heavy American bombardment in Nangarhar, where a U.S. special forces soldier was killed battling militants a week ago.
Last year massive B-52 bombers operating out of Qatar flew at least two missions in Afghanistan for the first time since 2006.
Such aircraft can carry as much as 70,000 pounds (32,000 kg)of bombs, missiles, or other weapons on each mission.
In March, U.S. forces conducted 79 "counterterror strikes" against Islamic State targets in Nangarhar, killing as many as 200 militants, according to the U.S. military command in Kabul.
American military officials estimate there are around 600 to 800 Islamic State fighters in Afghanistan, mostly in Nangarhar, but also in the neighboring province of Kunar.
The United Nations has raised concerns that the American air campaign is swelling civilian casualties in Afghanistan.
Last year air strikes by the military coalition caused at least 127 civilian deaths and 108 injuries, up from 103 deaths and 67 injuries in 2015, the U.N. says.

Source: Reuters