US Drone Strike Kills at Least 17 IS Militants in Afghanistan

Baku. 9 January. REPORT.AZ/ A suspected US drone strike Friday killed at least 17 Islamic State militants in eastern Afghanistan shortly after the extremist group beheaded seven people in the same area, said officials and residents, Report informs citing foreign media. 

The violence occurred in the remote Achin district of Nangarhar province, which borders Pakistan. The volatile district is where IS is believed to have setup its strong bases.

Ataullah Khogyani, a provincial governor spokesman,said that six Taliban insurgents were among those beheaded by Daesh, the Arabic acronym for IS. He added that while the executions were being carried out missiles fired by an unmanned US aircraft hit the area, killing 17 Daesh fighters, including several key commanders.

The Taliban this week launched attacks against IS bases in two districts around Achin, killing dozens of fighters of the rival group and evicting them from these areas, according to local officials.