Afghanistan says US strike kills local Islamic State leader
Afghan intelligence officials said Saturday that a U.S. airstrike killed the top leader of a local Islamic State affiliate and more than 30 other militants near the country's rugged eastern border with Pakistan. U.S. and NATO officials declined to immediately comment on the claim.
The strike in Nangarhar province killed Islamic State affiliate leader Hafeez Sayeed and others on Friday, said Abdul Hassib Sediqi, a spokesman for Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security. Sediqi said Afghan intelligence officials provided information to U.S. forces, who carried out the strike.
NATO officials declined to immediately comment on the claim, saying they would issue a statement later Saturday. U.S. officials could not be immediately reached for comment.
