The Taliban claimed on Tuesday to have developed a new bomb nicknamed Omar after their leader, which they say is impossible for Western mine sweepers to detect.

The biggest killer of Western troops in Afghanistan are homemade bombs, known as improvised explosive devices or IEDs.

The Taliban have claimed that they have developed a new IED using materials that make them undetectable.

A Taliban spokesman, who identified himself as Yousuf Ahmadi, said the new bomb has been named after Taliban leader Mullah Omar. “It’s an effective bomb, which can’t be detected by mine-sweeping vehicles and it causes more deaths,” Ahmadi said.

Meanwhile the US Army is closing in on the largest Taliban stronghold in Afghanistan’s Helmand province.

US Army soldiers launched a preliminary operation on Tuesday in support of a planned US-Afghan attack on the largest Taliban-controlled town of Marjah in southern Afghanistan.

US officials have not said when the main attack on the town would take place but have nonetheless heavily publicised plans to attack, causing hundreds of people to flee in advance of the fighting.

Helmand Governor Muhammad Gulab Mangal said authorities were prepared for a possible civilian exodus ahead of an assault that could be launched within days aimed at clearing Taliban from one of their main bastions of control.

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