Planes drop 35,000 more rations over north Afghanistan in U.S. aid operation

FRANKFURT, Germany – Two American cargo jets dropped 35,000 packets of food over northern Afghanistan overnight as part of an ongoing U.S. aid effort that aimed at easing hunger while going after military targets, an Air Force spokesman said Sunday.

The latest mission, carried out by a pair of C-17 planes, brings the total number of rations dropped so far to more than 935,000, said Maj. Scott Vadnais, a spokesman for U.S. Air Force Europe at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

The start of the airdrops coincided with the beginning of U.S. airstrikes in Afghanistan Oct. 7. Aid missions involving up to four planes have taken place most nights since.

Each packet provides a 2,200-calorie daily ration of foods such as barley stew, rice, fruit pastries and peanut butter. The packets are dropped out of boxes from the back of the cargo planes.

AP-WS-10-28-01 1440EST