The A-10s were deployed in late January to Kandahar Air Base as part of a new campaign announced in November 2017. The US is increasing airstrikes on Taliban revenue sources, much of which is opium and heroin drug-producing facilities.
Some analysts, however, have criticized the new strategy as a game of whack-a-mole, since the Taliban can rebuild such drug-producing facilities in three or four days.
The latest SIGAR report also noted that civilian casualties increased in November. “Press reports stated several civilians were killed during the November bombings,” the report said.
The recently released A-10 photos though are pretty incredible, providing a close-up of how the Warthog is refueled in mid-air.