Drone strike kills IS commander, bodyguard in Afghanistan

The commander of Islamic State (IS) group in Afghanistan's eastern Kunar province was killed along with his bodyguard in a drone airstrike on Thursday, spokesman for the provincial government Ghani Musamim said.

"Acting upon intelligence report, an unmanned plane attacked IS hideout in Manogai district this morning, killing the group's notorious commander Esmatullah and his bodyguard on the spot," Musamim told reporters.

With anti-government activities and involvement in terrorist attacks in Manogai, Watapor and Chapa Dara districts, Esmatullah was notorious and his physical elimination could prove a major setback to the hardliner group in Kunar and neighboring Nuristan and Nangarhar provinces.

The IS outfit has yet to make comment on the announcement.