The Take 'They tested a bomb on our village': Afghanistan’s ‘mother of all bombs’
Feb 16, 2026
Osama Bin Javaid, Al Jazeera correspondent known for frontline reporting, revisits Spingar where the 2017 GBU-43 strike hit. He describes the journey into the remote village. He discusses the bomb’s mechanics and blast effects. He recounts survivors’ evacuations and long-term damage to homes, health, livelihoods, and the lack of aid or accountability.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Difficult Journey To Spingar
- Osama bin Javaid describes a multi-hour journey to Spingar involving off-roading, a ravine, river crossings, and walking on foot.
- He paints a serene village scene that contrasts sharply with the destruction that brought them there.
Official Account Versus Local Stories
- The U.S. released high-altitude footage and claimed dozens of ISIL fighters and subterranean networks were destroyed.
- Villagers and Osama say local accounts contradict the official narrative and suggest many fighters were already gone.
Scale And Effects Of The Bomb
- The GBU-43 is a 30-foot, 10,000 kg non-nuclear bomb that detonates above ground and obliterates everything within about 300 meters.
- Its blast can deafen people up to a kilometer away, making it the US's most lethal non-nuclear weapon.