---
title: "Pentagon Releases Footage Of The ‘Mother Of All Bombs’ Strike On ISIS In Afghanistan"
date: "2017-04-14"
modified: "2017-04-14"
authors:
  - name: "Sarah Sicard"
    link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/sarahsicard/"
url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/pentagon-footage-moab-strike-isis-afghanistan/"
categories:
  - "Afghanistan"
  - "Around the World"
  - "Munitions"
  - "News"
  - "Tech & Tactics"
  - "Weapons"
tags:
  - "central command"
  - "donald trump"
  - "ISIS"
---

# Pentagon Releases Footage Of The ‘Mother Of All Bombs’ Strike On ISIS In Afghanistan

![](<https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/03/19039823-1.png>)

On Friday, the Department of Defense released footage of the U.S. Air Force dropping the MOAB, the second-largest non-nuclear bomb in the Pentagon’s arsenal, on ISIS targets in Achin district of Afghanistan’s Nangarhar Province.

A [#MOAB](<https://twitter.com/hashtag/MOAB?src=hash>) bomb strikes [#ISIS](<https://twitter.com/hashtag/ISIS?src=hash>) cave & tunnel systems in eastern [#Afghanistan](<https://twitter.com/hashtag/Afghanistan?src=hash>). The strike was designed to minimize risk to Afghan and U.S. Forces [pic.twitter.com/7pfBYQzk5F](<https://t.co/7pfBYQzk5F>)

— U.S. Dept of Defense (@DeptofDefense) [April 14, 2017](<https://twitter.com/DeptofDefense/status/852849426318188544>)

The deployment of the 21,600 pound GBU-43 Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb — also known as the “mother of all bombs” — was reportedly intended to minimize the risk to Afghan and U.S. clearing forces in the area and destroy an ISIS-K tunnel network, according to a CENTCOM statement

"This weapon was used against ISIS-K and their sanctuary inside Afghanistan," NATO Commander Gen. John Nicholson [told reporters](<https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/moab-hit-isis-sanctuary-afghanistan-general-john-nicholson-mother-of-all-bombs-a7683586.html>).

Afghanistan's [Defense Ministry reported](<https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/mother-bombs-kills-36-isis-10223619>) that 36 insurgents were killed in the strike. No civilians were harmed by the bomb. The strike was part of a joint operation between Afghan and international troops, [according to Afghan President](<https://www.cnn.com/2017/04/14/asia/afghanistan-isis-moab-bomb/>) Ashraf Ghani.

Though some have suggested that the the deployment of the MOAB constitutes an [excessive use of force](<https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/moab-bomb-strike-us-isis-afghanistan-mother-of-all-bombs-36-nangarhar-a7683366.html>), President Donald Trump hailed the bombing was "another successful job" by the U.S. military.