U.S. airstrikes in Afghanistan increase after Trump's strategy announcement, data shows

AVA-The increase in air operations comes after U.S. President Donald Trump announced his administration’s strategy on Afghanistan in August that calls for more pressure on militants.

The September total represents a 50 percent rise from August. Since 2010, the most airstrikes recorded during one month was 589, in August 2012.

The command attributed the increase to Trump’s strategy to “more proactively target extremist groups that threaten the stability and security of the Afghan people.”

The U.S. military report also noted that the recent addition of six F-16s at Bagram Air Base, coupled with more B-52 missions dedicated to Afghanistan, offer the additional strike capacity needed to target Taliban and Islamic State groups.

So far this year, U.S. has conducted 3,238 airstrikes in Afghanistan.