US dropped 'Mother Of All Bombs' for tactical, not political reasons, military says

The top US military commander in Afghanistan says the decision to deploy the bomb known as the "Mother Of All Bombs" was purely tactical.

US Forces in Afghanistan Army General John W. Nicholson speaks to journalists during a press conference Source: EPA

Pentagon officials said the US commander who ordered the use of the bomb did not need President Donald Trump's approval.

NATO commander in Afghanistan, US General John W Nicholson, has had standing authority since before Mr Trump took office to use the largest non-nuclear bomb ever dropped in combat.

General Nicholson said he was in constant communication with officials in Washington, but the decision to use the 9,797-kilogram GBU-43 bomb was based on his assessment of military needs and not broader political considerations.