US stepping up airstrikes this week to support Afghan forces
By ROBERT BURNS WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military has launched more than a dozen airstrikes in the past week in support of Afghan government forces in their fight against the Taliban, a sharp spike over the handful that were done in the previous six weeks, according to U.S. officials. The Pentagon said Tuesday that both conventional warplanes and armed drones were used, but did not provide details.