Human Rights Watch said the promised amnesty has not stopped local commanders from retaliating against former members of the army, police and intelligence services.
The insurgents have taken 18 of the country’s 34 provincial capitals in recent days, including its second- and third-largest cities, Herat and Kandahar.
These are the first known U.S. airstrikes in Afghanistan since Gen. Scott Miller, who had been the top U.S. commander in the country, relinquished his command and left the country last week.