Events in the year 2017 in Afghanistan. Incumbents President: Ashraf Ghani Chief Executive Officer: Abdullah Abdullah Events The war continued. January January 1 – Rangers from 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, carried out a raid on an ISIL-KP commander operating in the country. Despite being wounded by a grenade blast, SFC Joshua Leach held off enemy fighters alone with his weapon for three minutes, whilst under direct AK-47, AK-74, AKS-74, AKS-74U and grenade fire, allowing two wounded Rangers with a wounded Afghan soldier to leave the compound. Leach was awarded the Silver Star. January 9 – NDS forces killed Qari Saifullah Akhtar, a top al-Qaeda leader, and another terrorist in a raid in Ghazni Province. January 10 – The January 2017 Afghanistan bombings kill over 60 people and injure nearly 100 more. January 29 – It was reported that at least six armed militants were killed and six heroin laboratories were destroyed in a military operation in Bando village, Helmand Province- an area "under the Taliban or contested". The Ministry of Interior said that 1,090 kg of morphine, 15,175 kg of ammonium chloride and 2,000 litres of liquid opium, which is used in making heroin, were also destroyed. January 30/31 – Taliban fighters used tunnels to attack government checkpoints in the town centre of the Sangin District, Helmand Province, Afghan officials said 10 to more than 20 soldiers had been killed. In response, Brigadier General Charles H. Cleveland said that in the following 48 hours, the US military carried out approximately 15 airstrikes, 10 of which were in and around the town of Sangin. February February 4 – The 2017 Afghanistan avalanches killed at least 143 and injured 103 people. February 7 – A suicide bombing outside the Supreme Court of Afghanistan in Kabul killed 20 people and injured 48 more. Also that day in a roadside bomb in western Farah Province killed the regions top police official, the Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. February 8 – Six Afghans working for the Red Cross were killed by suspected ISIL-KP gunmen and Two others are unaccounted for, possibly abducted, by IS in the Qush Tepa District, Jowzjan Province. February 9 – A U.S. Special Forces soldier was severely wounded when the base he was at was attacked in Helmand province, another soldier was also wounded that day in Helmand Province. February 11 – A Taliban suicide bomber killed seven and