 On 3 March 2002, a single laser guided thermobaric bomb was used by the United States Air Force against cave complexes in which Al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters had taken refuge in the Gardez region of Afghanistan.The SMAW-NE was used by the US Marines during the First Battle of Fallujah and Second Battle of Fallujah.Reports by the rebel fighters of the Free Syrian Army claim the Syrian Air Force used such weapons against residential area targets occupied by the rebel fighters, as for instance in the Battle for Aleppo and also in Kafar Batna.