General John Nicholson, the head of U.S.

and international forces in

Afghanistan, said the bomb was used against caves and bunkers housing

fighters of the Islamic State in Afghanistan, also known as ISIS-K.

It was not immediately clear how much damage the device did.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer opened his daily news briefing speaking

about the use of the bomb and said, We targeted a system of tunnels and

caves that ISIS fighters used to move around freely, making it easier for them

to target U.S. military advisers and Afghan forces in the area.

Last week, a U.S. soldier was killed in the same district as the bomb was

dropped while conducting operations against Islamic State.

The United States takes the fight against ISIS very seriously and in order to

defeat the group, we must deny them operational space, which we did,

Spicer said.

He said the bomb was used at around 7 p.m. local time and described the

device as a large, powerful and accurately delivered weapon. The United

States took all precautions necessary to prevent civilian casualties and

collateral damage," he said.

U.S. officials say intelligence suggests Islamic State is based overwhelmingly

in Nangarhar and neighboring Kunar province.

Estimates of its strength in Afghanistan vary. U.S. officials have said they

believe the movement has only 700 fighters but Afghan officials estimate it

has about 1,500.

Islamic State's offshoot in Afghanistan is suspected of carrying out several

attacks on minority Shi'ite Muslim targets.

The Afghan Taliban, which is trying to overthrow the U.S.-backed

government in Kabul, are fiercely opposed to Islamic State and the two group

have clashed as they seek to expand territory and influence.