US drone raid kills 20 IS militants in Afghanistan

The violence occurred in the remote Achin district of Nangarhar province, which borders Pakistan’s Khyber tribal region. Daesh, the Arabic acronym for IS is believed to have setup its strong bases in the Afghan district.

A spokesman of the regional governor has said that six Taliban insurgents were among those beheaded by the Islamic State in the area. He said that while the executions were being carried out missiles fired by an unmanned US aircraft hit the area, killing 20 Daesh militants, including key commanders.

Taliban militia recently launched attacks against IS bases in two districts around Achin, killing dozens of fighters of the rival group and pushing them out from these areas, according to local officials.

IS has been active in several districts of Nangarhar province and has launched several attacks on government buildings.

Taliban and IS militants have been engaged in fierce fighting in the province to gain supremacy. Scores of the fighters have been reportedly killed in the skirmishes between the two militant groups.