Afghan air force drops first laser-guided bomb during combat

KABUL – NATO says the Afghan air force dropped its first laser-guided bomb during combat after completing training on how to use the sophisticated weapons system.

A NATO statement on Tuesday says the bomb was dropped on a Taliban compound in a “direct hit” in the western Farah province last Thursday. It says the precision targeting allowed the air force to avoid harming nearby civilians.

The new system is part of U.S. and NATO efforts to bolster Afghanistan’s military. Afghan forces have struggled to contain the Taliban and a powerful Islamic State affiliate since international forces formally concluded their combat mission at the end of 2014.