link>KABUL- The US Air Force has reportedly deployed the A-10 planes to provideclose-air support to the Afghan and US forces as the counter-terrorismoperations gain momentum in the restive parts of the country.

The planes reportedly arrived in southern Kandahar province of Afghanistanon Friday and shortly started operations by providing close-air support tothe security forces on the ground.

Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian, head of U.S. Air Forces Central Command, in astatement to Fox News, has said “As we’ve applied increased pressure on theTaliban and their revenue sources with precision airpower, we’ve gainedconsiderable momentum in our effort to force them to reconcile or facedefeat.”

“As U.S. advisors move closer to the front lines in support of our Afghanpartners, this additional airpower will give them the decisive advantagenecessary to advance with confidence,” he added.

This comes as the commander of the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission andthe US forces in Afghanistan Gen. John Nicholson said late in December lastyear that the attacks on Taliban financial engine will continue as heavylosses have been inflicted on the group and its associated in recent raids.

“In just over three days’ worth of operations, the Afghan 215th Corps,their special forces commandos, their air force, in close cooperation withU.S. forces, removed between $7 million and $10 million of revenue from theTaliban’s pocketbook,” Gen. Nicholson said.

He also added “And the overall cost to the drug trafficking organizationsapproached $48 million. So these strikes were just the first step inattacking the Taliban’s financial engine, and they will continue.”