Afghan and foreign forces have killed the local chief of the Islamic State group in raids on Saturday night, Reuters reported, quoting authorities. Abu Saad Erhabi was among 11 members of the terrorist group killed in a joint ground and air operation at two hideouts in Nangarhar province, the National Directorate of Security in Kabul said.
Several heavy and light weapons and a large amount of ammunition were destroyed during the raids, the authorities said.
The Islamic State’s news agency has not commented on the claim yet. United States forces in Afghanistan said they conducted a strike at the location, and “targeted a senior leader of a designated terrorist organisation”, AFP reported.
Erhabi is the fourth Islamic State leader in Afghanistan to be killed since July 2017, said the provincial governor of Nangarhar. The United States military estimates about 2,000 Islamic State fighters operate in Afghanistan.
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