American and Afghan officials said Tuesday that a series of U.S. airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan killed 29 ISIS militants and destroyed their affiliated FM radio station.
"U.S. forces conducted two counter-terrorism airstrikes in Achin district," U.S. Army Col. Mike Lawhorn, spokesman for the U.S.-NATO mission in Afghanistan, said confirming the incident, while not revealing the name of the target, reported The Daily Caller.
The actual target, ISIS' "Voice of the Caliphate," wasn't revealed until after a military official, who wasn't cleared to brief media about the subject, spoke about it on the condition of anonymity.
The strikes that destroyed ISIS' "Voice of the Caliphate" occurred Monday evening in the Nangarhar province, reported CNN. Set up in 2015 following months of fighting between ISIS group militants and the Taliban, ISIS used the radio station to illegally broadcast their extremist message across the region, threatening journalists and attempting to recruit new members.
The radio station had been difficult to track down since it was operating from mobile facilities, which enabled it to move across the mountainous border while evading law enforcement, Afghan officials said.
Radio is a powerful medium in Afghanistan due to its widespread use by the public, reported the Associated Press. Compared to the few who have televisions and 10 percent who have access to the Internet, almost everyone has access to radio. As a testament to this, there are around 175 radio stations operating in Afghanistan alone.
The Islamic State has gained a foothold in Afghanistan in the past year, maintaining a military presence in areas near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. However unlike other militant groups in the region, like the Taliban, their intended range is far more vast. While the Taliban only wish to impose their version of Islamic law in Afghanistan, ISIS is bent on imposing their law - and caliphate - worldwide.
