U.S. drone strike kills 5 Daesh militants in Nangarhar

Five Daesh militants were killed in a fresh U.S. drone strike in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan overnight, the provincial government said on Wednesday.

“The coalition forces’ pilotless planes struck a militants’ hideout in Bandaar locality, Achin district last night. As a result five IS militants were killed,” a statement released by the provincial governor office said.

The air attack also destroyed several rounds of weapons and ammunition of the militants, the statement said, adding no civilian or military personnel were hurt in the attack.

According to the statement an IED was also defused by the Afghan intelligence personnel in Ahmad Khail village of Achin district in a separate operation.

The Daesh militants attacked Achin and Kot districts weeks ago and hundreds of families were displaced in sporadic clashes between the Afghan security forces and militants from these areas.

Recently President Ghani on his visit to Nangarhar province ordered anti-Daesh operation aiming to root out the stronghold of the insurgents from the east of Afghanistan.

The violence has declined over the recent weeks as Afghan security forces and NATO-led forces increased air and ground attacks against militants across the country.

Achin district bordering Pakistan is a known Islamic State (IS) stronghold in the province with Jalalabad city as its capital, 120 km east of Afghan capital of Kabul.