Strike Kills 50+ Afghan Taliban Leaders, Says U.S. Military

More than 50 senior Taliban commanders were killed in a missile strike on a meeting in Afghanistan’s southern province of Helmand, according to the U.S. military. Lt. Col. Martin O’Donnell, spokesman for U.S. forces in Afghanistan, said the attack targeted a meeting of commanders in the district of Musa Qala in Helmand. “It’s certainly a notable strike,” he said, adding: “We think the meeting was to plan next steps.” The Taliban denied the strike killed dozens of its commanders, with a spokesman claiming: “This was a civilian residential area, which had no connection with the Taliban.” The U.S. military said the May 24 meeting involved commanders from different Afghan provinces and took place in one of the heartlands of the Taliban insurgency.