US forces in Afghanistan confirm killing IS senior commander

Kabul -- A senior commander of Islamic State (IS) has been killed following a US airstrikes in eastern Kunar province of Afghanistan, US forces in Afghanistan said in a statement released on Saturday.

"US Forces-Afghanistan confirms that Abu Sayed, the Emir of Islamic State, Khorasan Province in Afghanistan was killed in a strike on the group's headquarters in Kunar Province on July 11," said the statement.

"This operation is another success for defeating IS in Afghanistan", the statement said.

"Abu Sayed was the third IS leader we have killed since the last year and we will continue until they are annihilated," NATO-led Resolute Support mission commander Gen. Nicholson said in the statement.

Meanwhile, Afghan forces have killed nine IS fighters and injured five others during a military operation in Pachiragam district of eastern Nangarhar province, the provincial government spokesperson Attaullah Khogiani told Xinhua.

Hundreds of IS militants including their top three commanders have been killed during the Afghan and NATO forces operations over the past year.

In April, US forces dropped a massive bomb on IS complex tunnel and hideout in Nangarhar province and reportedly killed more than 100 fighters.