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In a rather shocking incident, an official of the Indian Air Force was arrested by <keyword id="6358992" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Delhi-Police">Delhi Police</keyword> in Punjab yesterday for working as Pakistan's aide. The officer, identified as Ranjith from Kerala, was found allegedly <keyword id="6392096" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Spying">spying</keyword> for Pakistan's intelligence agency, ISI. He was allegedly lured into espionage by a woman who he met through a social networking site. 

	He was posted at the Bathinda Air Force station close to the India-Pakistan border as a ground technician with access to details of aircraft deployment and positions.
 

	The official had been under surveillance for three months and was passing information about airfields to a woman in Jammu. He is 24 years old and has been with the IAF for nearly five years. The woman conduit is now being investigated. 
	 
	(image credits: bccl)

Air Force man allegedly lured into spying for Pakistan's ISI

The content head of <keyword id="19923295" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="OTT" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="OTT" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="OTT">OTT</keyword> platform <keyword id="19897536" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Netflix" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Netflix" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Netflix">Netflix</keyword> has been summoned on September 3 by the <keyword id="19967269" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ministry-of-Information-and-Broadcasting" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Ministry of Information and Broadcasting" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Ministry of Information and Broadcasting">Ministry of Information and Broadcasting</keyword> over the series 'IC-814 - The Kandahar <keyword id="20102314" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hijack" source="keywords">Hijack</keyword>' which has triggered a row on social media over the depiction of the hijackers. In the OTT series, the five hijackers of the flight from Kathmandu are referred to as Chief, Doctor, Burger, Bhola and Shankar. "I vividly remember IC-814. I was very aware of that accident and very involved in following that. Every man and woman in India and indeed in South Asia knows that the hijack of IC-814 from Kathmandu was committed by Pakistan's ISI-backed terrorists. Now, nobody thinks that there were some people from India who did the hijacking. So how the people have Hindu names in that movie, I don't know. But I'm very happy that the I&amp;B Ministry and the GoI have taken cognizance of this and have summoned Netflix" BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar said. The Hijack drama created by <keyword id="19913032" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Anubhav-Sinha" source="keywords">Anubhav Sinha</keyword> and Trishant Shrivastava stars actors Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapur, Vijay Varma, Arvind Swamy, Patralekhaa and Dia Mirza. The six-episode series is based on real events. On December 24, 1999 flight <keyword id="20777484" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="IC-814" source="keywords">IC 814</keyword> an Indian Airlines Airbus A300 enroute to Delhi gets hijacked after take off from the Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport in Nepal shortly after it entered Indian airspace. Soon after take-off, five hijackers, who were posing as passengers, took control of the plane. The hostage crisis lasted for seven days and ended after the then <keyword id="23009406" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Prime-Minister-Atal-Bihari-Vajpayee" source="keywords">Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee</keyword> government agreed to release three militants. There were 191 passengers on board including 15 crew members, where one person was stabbed, who succumbed to his injuries, while several others were wounded. BJP's IT cell chief Amit Malviya had posted on X, "The hijackers of IC-814 were dreaded terrorists, who acquired aliases to hide their Muslim identities. Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha, legitimised their criminal intent, by furthering their non-Muslim names. Result? Decades later, people will think Hindus hijacked IC-814." Malviya further posted, "This will not just weaken / put in question India's security apparatus in the long run, but also shift the blame away from the religious cohort, that is responsible for all the bloodshed." In a suo motu statement by then External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh in Parliament stated that the hijacked IC-814 aircraft made several landings at Amritsar, Lahore, Dubai before being taken to Kandahar in Afghanistan. The government, then led by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, was forced to release three terrorists -- <keyword id="6459729" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Masood-Azhar" source="Orion">Masood Azhar</keyword>, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar -- from Indian prisons to secure the release of the hostages. Later, Masood Azhar went on to form Jaish-E-Mohammad, which claimed responsibility for Pulwama attack in India in 2019, 2001 Parliament attacks and 2016 Uri attacks, amongst others. Currently in Pakistan, Azhar remains active, and was seen attending a wedding in Bahawalpur city of Pakistan's Punjab last month, per media reports. As per a January 6, 200 statement by the Union Home Ministry the names of the hijackers were identified as Ibrahim Athar, Bahawalpur; Shahid Akhtar Sayed, Karachi; Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Karachi; Mistri Zahoor Ibrahim, Karachi and Shakir from Sukkur city "To the passengers of the hijacked place these hijackers came to be known respectively as (1) Chief, (2) Doctor, (3) Burger, (4) Bhola and (5) Shankar, the names by which the hijackers invariably addressed one another," the statement read.

I&B Ministry summons Netflix India's head of content over 'IC 814' web series

<ul class="summary-list"><li>It's almost two years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.</li><li>While there's no clear end in sight, experts say Ukraine could become Russia's "Vietnam."</li></ul>As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its third year, there's still no end to the conflict in sight.But while Ukraine is suffering from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-running-out-ammo-for-us-supplied-howitzers-cnn-russia-2024-1">dwindling supplies of munitions</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-needs-troops-aggressive-military-recruiting-tactics-russia-war-2023-12">is struggling to recruit new troops</a>, its forces could benefit from a drawn-out war of attrition should it continue to receive aid from Western nations, analysts from the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.csis.org/analysis/assessing-war-ukraine">Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)</a> said in a press briefing this week.Some of the analysts noted that the conflict in Ukraine could even become a "Vietnam" for Russian President Vladimir Putin."We've seen smaller countries frequently defeat larger countries in battle, with Vietnam and others being key examples. And I think that's exactly the right way to view this war," Max Bergmann, the director of the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program at the CSIS, said in a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.csis.org/analysis/assessing-war-ukraine">press briefing</a> earlier this week.<div type="image" title="fall of saigon" height="2639" width="3981" msid="107779792" hostid="261" sizebytes="745844"></div>In the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cu-chi-tunnels-unforgettable-reminder-vietnam-war-viet-cong-2023-6">Vietnam War</a>, more than 58,000 Americans lost their lives in a long, protracted fight alongside South Vietnam against the communist government of North Vietnam.The war, which began in the 1950s, lasted until 1975, when the South Vietnamese capital of Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese Army."I don't see the Ukrainians giving up, because this is an existential war for them. It is not an existential war for Russia," said Eliot A. Cohen, the Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy at the CSIS.With crucial military aid from the West, analysts believe Ukraine could achieve something similar, grinding down Russian morale and potentially forcing Russia to readdress the costs and benefits of the invasion."I would just point to the repeated examples of small powers wearing down and defeating much larger ones: the Soviets losing in Afghanistan, the French and the US in Vietnam, the US and NATO in Afghanistan, the French in Algeria," Seth Jones, senior vice president at the CSIS, said in the press briefing."Plenty of examples where there was, to paraphrase Pakistan's ISI during the 1980s war in Afghanistan against the Soviets, death by a thousand cuts," he added.But Ukraine's chances of success rest heavily on continuing Western aid packages.Congress is currently debating a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/republicans-could-be-about-to-cost-ukraine-war-analysts-russia-2024-2#:~:text=House%20Republicans%20look%20set%20to,the%20Soviet%20Union%2C%20they%20said.">$60 billion package</a> that could prove pivotal in shaping the course of the war."If that funding is passed I have no doubt that Ukraine will be able to completely absorb the Russian offensive that is going on in 2024," Bergmann said. "In fact, I would be quite optimistic about Ukraine's potential in 2025."The bill passed through the Senate earlier this week and will now go to the House of Representatives.

How Ukraine could become Putin's 'Vietnam,' say military analysts

The United States has condemned the attack on the <keyword id="72335" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="indian-consulate" source="Orion">Indian Consulate</keyword> in San Francisco and any attack against diplomatic facilities within the US. The country has pledged to defend the safety, and security of these facilities as well as the diplomats who work within them. "The United States condemns the attack against the Indian Consulate and any attack against diplomatic facilities within the United States. We pledge to defend the safety and security of these facilities as well as the diplomats who work within them," US State Department spokesperson told ANI. Khalistan supporters have started creating chaos across the world. After vandalism in London, Khalistan supporters allegedly attacked Indian Consulate in San Francisco (SFO). Videos of supporters breaking the doors and barging into the office surfaced on social media. The visuals of the San Francisco consulate vandalism have been doing the rounds on social media, however, it is yet to be confirmed by Indian officials. As per visuals, it can be confirmed that this happened outside the consulate, but the date cannot be confirmed. Visuals shared online show a huge mob brandishing Khalistan flags mounted on wooden poles, using them to smash glass doors and windows of the consulate building. They raised pro-Khalistan slogans as they broke through makeshift security barriers raised by the city police and installed two Khalistflags inside the premises. Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS), an Indian advocacy and awareness group on Sunday (local time) said that it "strongly suspect Pakistan's spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is behind," attacks on Indian missions in UK and US. "We strongly suspect Pakistan's ISI is behind instigating and funding Sikh radicalization with false propaganda. We ask Indian Americans including the Sikh majority to rise against the extremism," read the FIIDS statement. "We are also appalled by the complete law and order failure in both in London as well as in SFO where a few radicalized separatists attacked India's diplomatic missions," added the statement. "It is extremely concerning to see that the United Kingdom and the United States of America are failing to fulfil the commitments as per the Vienna convention to protect diplomatic missions. We would urge law and order institutions like the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the FBI as well as the CIA to ensure that terrorism finds no place and support in the United States of America," added the statement. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the release of the 2022 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, said: "The Report makes clear that in countries across every region, we continued to see a backsliding in human rights conditions, the closing of civic space, disrespect for fundamental human dignity." SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/investment/news/time-to-accumulate-bonds-and-lock-in-attractive-yields-with-peak-rates-around-the-horizon/articleshow/98815117.cms">Time to accumulate bonds and lock-in attractive yields with peak rates around the horizon</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/kotak-mahindra-bank-adani-enterprises-reliance-industries-among-stocks-to-watch/articleshow/98848622.cms">Sensex, Nifty50 likely to open in the green amid positive global cues: Kotak Mahindra Bank, Adani Enterprises, Reliance Industries among stocks to watch</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/international/news/always-open-for-negotiation-putin-tells-xi-jinping-on-ukraine-peace-plan/articleshow/98846472.cms">Always open for negotiation: Putin tells Xi Jinping on Ukraine peace plan</a>

US condemns attack on Indian Consulate in San Francisco; pledges to defend safety, security

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif was shot dead in Kenya in what police said was a case of "mistaken identity."</li><li>His widow and former PM Imran Khan allege it was a targeted killing due to his criticisms of the military.</li></ul>The head of Pakistan's spy agency gave an unprecedented press conference to deny it was responsible for killing a high-profile Pakistani journalist in Kenya.The chief of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Lieutenant General Nadeem Ahmed Anjum, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzYYdLjRpC4">spoke to the media </a>on Thursday alongside a military spokesperson to address Sharif's killing.It was the first time that the head of the ISI had ever directly addressed reporters in Pakistan's history, according to the local <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/1717163/">Dawn</a> newspaper.Arshad Sharif, an investigative journalist known for being critical of Pakistan's powerful military, was shot dead by Kenyan police on Sunday night.Kenyan police said that the killing was a case of "mistaken identity" in a mix-up with another car linked to a child abduction case, <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/10/25/kenyan-police-regrets-killing-pakistani-journalist-arshad-sharif">Al Jazeera </a>reported. Al Jazeera reporter Catherine Soi noted that it was "not clear how police mistook the number plates of these two cars, which are completely different."Sharif fled Pakistan in August after he faced sedition charges following an interview with a close aide of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, in which the aide made comments deemed to be offensive to the military.Sharif is believed to have had a close relationship with Khan, who was ousted from power in April after he appeared to have <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/4/9/analysis-end-of-imran-khans-term">lost the support of the military.</a>The military has ruled the country for over half of its history and is viewed as the major powerbroker behind the scenes.The shadowy ISI spy agency, which has close ties to the military, has long been accused of <a href="https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/isi-and-terrorism-behind-accusations">supporting terrorist groups</a> that attack its neighbors, <a href="https://eurasiantimes.com/pakistan-high-court-judge-removed-accused-isi-rigging-elections/">manipulating elections</a>, and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/30/isi-accused-of-targeting-journalists-pakistan-amnesty-international">abducting and killing journalists</a>. It has continually denied all of the allegations.Ousted Prime Minister Khan said that Sharif's death "highlighted an ongoing targeting of anyone who dares to criticize or question those holding power," per <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/10/26/inquiry-committee-for-arshad-sharif-murder-formed">Al Jazeera</a>.<div type="image" title="Media representatives shout slogans during a protest in Karachi on October 24, 2022, against the killing of Pakistani news anchor Arshad Sharif in Kenya." height="3508" width="5261" msid="95164996" hostid="261" sizebytes="1110796"></div>Sharif's widow Javeria Siddique also said that she believed it was a "target killing." "Journalism is not a crime. Please raise your voice," she said in a <a href="https://twitter.com/AzharSiddique/status/1585122416845787137">video message.</a>Pakistan has a long history of suppressing the media and is ranked 157 out of 180 countries in a <a href="https://rsf.org/en/index">press freedom index</a> by Reporters without Borders.The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has demanded an inquiry into Sharif's death. It said in a statement to Al Jazeera: "A long, grim record of violent tactics to silence journalists explains why the reported murder of journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya has sent shock waves through the journalist community."<h2>Pakistan's ISI and military deny responsibility for the killing</h2>Lt. Gen. Anjum denied that ISI and the military had anything to do with his death and said that they had "no personal enmity" with him, per <a href="https://www.voanews.com/a/thousands-attend-funeral-of-slain-pakistan-journalist-amid-surging-political-tensions-/6809039.html">VOA News.</a>Military spokesperson Lieutenant General Babar Iftikhar said that Sharif's death was an unfortunate incident and asked that judgments not be made until a<a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/10/26/inquiry-committee-for-arshad-sharif-murder-formed"> two-member inquiry committee</a> investigating the circumstances of his death returned their report.During the press conference, the pair doubled down on their criticisms of Khan but denied having taken action to remove him from power."The army had an intense internal discussion. We reached the conclusion the country's interest lies in us restricting ourselves to our constitutional role and remaining out of politics," Anjum said, per VOA.Sharif's funeral was held in Islamabad on Thursday and drew crowds of up to 30,000, an Islamabad police officer estimated to <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/10/27/thousands-attend-pakistani-journalist-arshad-sharifs-funeral">Al Jazeera.</a>

Pakistan's powerful spy agency comes out of the shadows to deny role in the killing of a high-profile journalist in Kenya

In order to fight the menace of Fake Indian Currency Notes(FICN), the government has approved introduction of seven new security features and the project is likely to be completed by May next year. 
 
In the first phase, the features will be included in high denomination notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000, which are much in demand by counterfeiting gangs as also Pakistan's ISI, official sources said. 
 The security features recommended by the <keyword id="801916" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="RBI-Central-Board">RBI Central Board</keyword>, details of which are not yet known, were recently approved by the government. 
 
After accepting the recommendations, the government asked RBI to set in motion the introduction of the new features, sources said. 
 
The Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes with those features will be available soon and be introduced in those of other denominations by May next. 
 <keyword id="3033641" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="The-Bhartiya-Reserve-Bank-Note">The Bhartiya Reserve Bank Note</keyword> Mudran (Pvt) Limited and Security Printing and <keyword id="1959964" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Minting-Corporation-of-India-Limited">Minting Corporation of India Limited</keyword> are undertaking the project. 
 
RBI has also asked the banks to stamp fake notes detected over the counter as "COUNTERFEIT NOTE" and impound them immediately. Banks found not following the procedure will be penalised. Banks have also been instructed to issue a receipt for counterfeit notes to the tenderer of the FICN, they said. 
 As per the estimates, fake Indian currency notes of face value of Rs 30 crore are in circulation. <keyword id="6362387" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="National-Investigation-Agency">National Investigation Agency</keyword> has been made the nodal agency for FICN cases as the government treats it as 'economic terrorism'. 
 
Pakistan's ISI has been actively pumping fake notes into India and central security agencies are alarmed at the new routes being taken by the spy agency to unleash 'economic terror'. 
 
The flow of fake notes is no longer limited to smuggling from the border areas of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal but central Southeast Asian countries have lately emerged as important transit points. 
 
Malaysia, Thailand and Oman, frequented by Indians, have emerged as the new centres for stocking FICN and then circulating it across India. 
 In certain cases, courier services of international repute have also been used by the ISI to pump in <keyword id="378685" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Fake-currency-notes">fake currency notes</keyword>. 
 
Image credit: Indiatimes

New security features soon to fight the problem of Fake Indian Currency Notes

Eglin Air Force Base via APThis undated photo provided by Eglin Air Force Base shows a GBU-43B, or massive ordnance air blast weapon, the U.S. military's largest non-nuclear bomb, which contains 11 tons of explosives.The US posted new footage of their largest non-nuclear weapon's first combat use against 36 ISIS fighters entrenched in caves and bunkers in Northeastern Afghanistan on Thursday."The strike was designed to minimize the risk to Afghan and US forces conducting clearing operations in the area while maximizing the destruction of ISIS-K fighters and facilities," the Pentagon said of the strike, referring to the Islamic State branch in Afghanistan and Pakistan, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/20/politics/afghanistan-isis-state-department-pentagon/" target="_blank">ISIS-Khorasan</a>.The deployment of the "mother of all bombs" comes from a strategy that started during the Obama administration, according to Scott Stewart, vice president of tactical analysis at Stratfor, a geopolitical analysis firm.By keeping the US "footprint as limited as possible" on the ground in Afghanistan, and instead providing air support, the US can push back on ISIS and al-Qaeda's narrative in Afghanistan - that the US and the West represent imperialist, invasive forces, according to Stewart."The more we can turn over the ground fighting to Afghan forces and provide friendly air," the better, Stewart told Business Insider, who added that it would have taken weeks and many American lives to clear ISIS's network of caves with infantry troops on the ground.<h2>Watch the blast below:</h2> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/these-are-the-small-agile-new-aircraft-carriers-meant-to-take-f-35s-into-battle-2017-4">These are the small, agile new aircraft carriers meant to take F-35s into battle</a></h3> Please enable Javascript to watch this video

Here's what it looked like when the 'mother of all bombs' hit an ISIS hideout

Spc. Evan D. Marcy/US ArmySoldiers with Battery C, 1st Battalion, 321st Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 18th Fires Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division from Fort Bragg, N.C., fire 155mm rounds using an M777 Howitzer weapons system, July 6, on Forward Operating Base Bostick, Afghanistan.The US has <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/us-moab-mother-of-all-bombs-isis-afghanistan-2017-4" target="_blank">deployed the largest non-nuclear bomb</a> in its inventory on an ISIS target in a remote part of far northeast Afghanistan, the Pentagon confirmed on Thursday.The GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb, aka the "Mother of All Bombs" or "MOAB," weighs over 21,000 pounds.It was developed during the Iraq war and is the US's largest non-nuclear bomb. It had not been used in combat until now.It was dropped on an ISIS-Khorasan camp in the Achin district of Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, which borders northwest Pakistan, US officials with direct knowledge of the mission told CNN.An online simulator called HYDESim "maps overpressure radii generated by a ground-level detonation.""These radii are an indicator of structural damage to buildings," the simulator explains.Here's how the 21,000 "Mother of All Bombs" would affect New York City, based on the HYDESim's estimate of its explosive yield. (The exact yield is classified):Screenshot/HYDESimBased on the simulator's calculations, the effects of the bomb would be felt as far as a mile in each direction, and "most glass surfaces, such as windows, will shatter ... some with enough force to cause injury," according to the simulator.By contrast, the US's most powerful nuclear bomb - the B83, with a <a href="http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/the-most-dangerous-nuclear-weapon-americas-arsenal-13433" target="_blank">1.2 megaton</a> maximum yield - would have a blast radius of nearly 20 miles:Screenshot/HYDESimHere's how the MOAB would affect Los Angeles:Screenshot/HYDESimAnd London:Screenshot/HYDESim"The strike was designed to minimize the risk to Afghan and U.S. Forces conducting clearing operations in the area while maximizing the destruction of ISIS-K fighters and facilities," US Central Command said in a statement on Thursday."As ISIS-K's losses have mounted, they are using IEDs, bunkers and tunnels to thicken their defense," Gen. John W. Nicholson, commander of US forces in Afghanistan, said in the statement, referring to the ISIS branch in Afghanistan and Pakistan, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/20/politics/afghanistan-isis-state-department-pentagon/" target="_blank">ISIS-Khorasan</a>."This is the right munition to reduce these obstacles and maintain the momentum of our offensive against ISIS-K."<a href="http://www.understandingwar.org/sites/default/files/March%202017%20AFG%20Partial%20Threat%20Assessment_1.pdf">ISW</a>Watch footage of the MOAB being tested below:Christopher Woody contributed reporting. <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/global-firepower-index-most-powerful-militaries-in-the-world-ranked-2017-3">Here are the countries with the most powerful militaries in the world</a></h3> Please enable Javascript to watch this video

Here's how a 21,000-pound bomb like the one just dropped on Afghanistan would affect your city

REUTERS/USAF handoutThe US and Britain on October 7, 2001, launched a first wave of air strikes against Afghanistan.The US has deployed the largest non-nuclear bomb in its inventory on an ISIS target in a remote part of far northeast Afghanistan, according to CNN analyst Barbara Starr.Four US officials with direct knowledge of the mission said the US had dropped the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb, aka the "Mother of All Bombs" or "MOAB," over the Achin district of Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, which borders northwest Pakistan.The MOAB, which was developed during the Iraq war, is the US's largest non-nuclear bomb and had not been deployed on the battlefield until now. It weighs 21,000 pounds and was dropped at 7 p.m. local time on Thursday."This is a weapon that would be used against a large footprint on the ground," Starr said on CNN. The target in question was reportedly an ISIS complex with a camp and tunnels and where personnel were assembling.The area is very close to the Pakistan border, Starr said, and "is still a border that is not really controlled.""And they have seen ISIS develop on the Afghanistan side of the this border," she added."At 7:32 pm local time today, U.S. Forces - Afghanistan conducted a strike on an ISIS-K tunnel complex in Achin district, Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, as part of ongoing efforts to defeat ISIS-K in Afghanistan in 2017," US Central Command said in a statement."The strike used a GBU-43 bomb dropped from a U.S. aircraft," the statement said. "The strike was designed to minimize the risk to Afghan and U.S. Forces conducting clearing operations in the area while maximizing the destruction of ISIS-K fighters and facilities.""As ISIS-K's losses have mounted, they are using IEDs, bunkers and tunnels to thicken their defense," Gen. John W. Nicholson, commander of US forces in Afghanistan, said in the statement, referring to the ISIS branch in Afghanistan and Pakistan, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/20/politics/afghanistan-isis-state-department-pentagon/" target="_blank">ISIS-Khorasan</a>. "This is the right munition to reduce these obstacles and maintain the momentum of our offensive against ISIS-K."The MOAB's deployment comes just a few days after a US Special Forces operator was killed in the same region of the country during operations against ISIS. "The soldier was mortally wounded late Saturday during an operation in Nangarhar Province" in eastern Afghanistan, US Navy Captain Bill Salvin <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-us-soldier-killed-in-afghanistan-during-operations-against-islamic-state-us-military-2017-4" target="_blank">said on Twitter</a> on April 8.The US and NATO war in Afghanistan will enter its 16th year in 2017. The US has deployed heavy ordnance in the country before. In November 2001, during the initial invasion of Afghanistan, the US dropped <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/nov/07/afghanistan.terrorism6" target="_blank">"daisy cutter" bombs</a> - which weighed 15,000 pounds and were first used to clear helicopter landing zones in the jungles of Vietnam - on Taliban positions. <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/animated-map-how-wwi-changed-europe-borders-2017-4">This animated map shows how World War I changed Europe's borders</a></h3> Please enable Javascript to watch this video

You Searched For "Pakistan ISI" and got 9 results

Air Force man allegedly lured into spying for Pakistan's ISI

I&B Ministry summons Netflix India's head of content over 'IC 814' web series

ANI

How Ukraine could become Putin's 'Vietnam,' say military analysts

Nathan Rennolds

US condemns attack on Indian Consulate in San Francisco; pledges to defend safety, security

ANI

Pakistan's powerful spy agency comes out of the shadows to deny role in the killing of a high-profile journalist in Kenya

Alia Shoaib

New security features soon to fight the problem of Fake Indian Currency Notes

BI India Bureau

Here's what it looked like when the 'mother of all bombs' hit an ISIS hideout

Alex Lockie

Here's how a 21,000-pound bomb like the one just dropped on Afghanistan would affect your city

Natasha Bertrand

The US just dropped the 'mother of all bombs' on an ISIS target in Afghanistan

Christopher Woody

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