The number of ISIL militants killed by the American military's largest non-nuclear bomb has risen to at least 94, including four commanders, said Afghan officials on Saturday.
On Friday, Afghan officials said that the "Mother Of All Bombs" destroyed a deep tunnel complex used by ISIL. The death toll was placed at 36 militants at first, but the number has nearly tripled after one day. Civilian casualties were ruled out by the officials.
The GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb -- better known as the "Mother Of All Bombs" -- hit ISIL hideouts in Achin district in eastern Nangarhar province on Thursday.
Shinwari insisted there were "no military and civilian casualties at all," as precautions were taken to avoid civilian casualties.
US President Donald Trump had earlier called the mission "very, very successful."
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The huge bomb, delivered via an MC-130 transport plane, has a blast yield equivalent to 11 tons of TNT, and the weapon was originally designed as much to intimidate foes as to clear broad areas.
"The GBU-43/B is the largest non-nuclear bomb ever deployed in combat," Air Force spokesman Colonel Pat Ryder said.
Achin district governor Esmail Shinwari said the bomb landed in the Momand Dara area of Achin district.
"The explosion was the biggest I have ever seen. Towering flames engulfed the area," Shinwari told AFP.
"We don't know anything about the casualties so far, but since it is a Daesh (ISIL) stronghold we think a lot of Daesh fighters may have been killed."
An Afghan militant source told AFP from an undisclosed location that locals had described the ground shaking "like an earthquake", with people being knocked unconscious by the blast.
"People have started leaving the area fearing more bombings," he said.
CGTN photo
The Pentagon's announcement of the attack drove markets down, with Asian bourses headed south following overnight losses on Wall Street.
It added to concerns among investors already wary of risks over Syria and DPRK, as well as the outcome of the French presidential election.
The assault came only a week after Trump ordered missile strikes against Syria in retaliation for a suspected chemical attack.
Trump has said he is keeping "all options" on the table to stop the DPRK's nuclear program, as speculation mounts that Pyongyang may soon hold another nuclear test.
Nangarhar, which borders Pakistan, is a hotbed of ISIL militancy.
US forces have conducted a number of air strikes on jihadist bases in the area since August last year.
ISIL, notorious for its reign of terror in Syria and Iraq, has been making inroads into Afghanistan in recent years. It has attracted disaffected members of the Pakistani and Afghan Taliban as well as Uzbek Islamists.
But the group has been steadily losing territory in the face of heavy pressure from both US air strikes and a ground offensive led by Afghan forces.
(Source: Agencies)
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