US conducts first air strike against Taliban since peace deal

The United States has carried out an air raid against Taliban fighters in Afghanistan, a US forces spokesman said a day after President Donald Trump spoke to a senior Taliban leader by phone.

"The US conducted an air strike on March 4 against Taliban fighters in Nahr-e Saraj, Helmand, who were actively attacking an ANDSF [Afghan National Defence and Security Forces] checkpoint," said Colonel Sonny Leggett in a tweet on Wednesday, adding that it was a "defensive strike".

The raid, the first against the Taliban in 11 days, comes days after the US and Taliban signed a deal aimed at ending the nearly 19-year-old war in Afghanistan - the US's longest.

The Taliban leadership promised the international community it would reduce violence, Leggett said, referring to the deal signed in the Qatari capital, Doha, on February 29.

He said, however, the US was committed to peace but called on the Taliban to stop "needless attacks" and uphold their commitments.

According to Leggett, Taliban fighters had carried out 43 attacks on checkpoints in Helmand on Tuesday.

"In the past two days we have witnessed the most intense Taliban attacks in Helmand," Provincial police spokesman Mohammad Zaman Hamdard told AFP news agency:

"They have attacked several districts and many military bases," he added.