US B-52 bombers and gunships sent into action in Afghanistan in attempt to stop Taliban advance on key cities

The US has sent B-52 bombers and Spectre gunships to Afghanistan in a bid to stop Taliban insurgents who are marching towards three key cities.

The B-52s are flying into Afghanistan from an airbase in Qatar, hitting targets around Kandahar, Herat, and Lashkar Gah in Helmand province, sources told The Times. 

The move comes amid an increasingly dire situation in Afghanistan, as the Taliban continues to seize territory across the country as US-led forces withdraw. 

The Pentagon estimates that the group now controls half of Afghanistan’s 419 district centers.