KABUL – A top US commander in Afghanistan has said the Taliban militantshave still not felt the full brunt of the air power of the Afghan and USforces.

U.S. Air Force Major General James Hecker, commander of 9th Air and SpaceExpeditionary Task Force-Afghanistan and NATO Air Command-Afghanistan hassaid “The Taliban still has not felt the full brunt of American and Afghanair power.”

“With the arrival of new air assets and the growing capabilities of Afghanpilots, the Talban will have a constant eye towards the sky as anintegrated unified fight is aimed directly to them,” Gen. Hecker quoted ina report by the Resolute Support said.

The report further adds that in a matter of days A-10s will conduct theirfirst strike against the Taliban, continuing the air campaign destroyingnarcotics production facility. Since November, 30 strikes conducted againstTaliban narcotics production facilities resulted more than $20 million intotal impact on Taliban revenue.

Under the authorities granted in the South Asia Policy, precision strikeswith A-10s will hit the Taliban where they are most vulnerable: theirrevenue streams and profits from developing and selling illegal narcotics,the report states.

According to the report, the Taliban will face a more aggressive adversaryin this air campaign as U.S. Air Force F-22s, F-16s, B-52s, A-10s andMQ-9s, along with support from Navy F-18s, will join in counter-financeoperations.