30 militants killed in US drone strike in Afghanistan

Kabul: About 30 Islamic State (IS) affiliated militants, including a senior IS leader, were killed following a US-led drone strike in eastern Afghanistan overnight Friday, said the National Directorate of Security (NDS), the country's intelligence agency on Saturday.

"Based on NDS intelligence, Hafez Sayeed, the leader of Daesh (IS) in so-called Khurassan state was killed in an air strike in Achin district of eastern Nangarhar province last night," the NDS said in a statement, Xinhua reported.

Earlier this year, the IS group, mostly active in Iraq and Syria, announced that it has established a province in Khurassan, a historic name for a region that covers Afghanistan, Pakistan and parts of other countries in the region.

Earlier this month, Sheikh Maqbul, known as Shahidullah Shaid and the IS no. 2 leader named Gul Zaman were killed in a similar attack in the same province, according to NDS.

The NDS has set up a special operation team to combat IS affiliate militants.

The latest targeted killing of the IS leaders has been a big blow for the IS group in Afghanistan. The NDS personnel will never allow any international terrorist group, including IS, to set up safe havens in Afghanistan, the statement said.

In an unrelated incident, a local leader and pro-government figure named Shir Arab was killed following a drive-by shooting attack in Mazar-i-Sharif city, capital of northern Balkh province on Saturday evening, Shir Jan Durranni, a provincial police spokesman, said.

(IANS)