Islamic State commander in Afghanistan killed in U.S. drone strike

KABUL, Afghanistan – A top commander of Islamic State was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Afghanistan’s eastern Nangarhar province, officials said Saturday.

Mullah Bozorg died with seven fighters in the attack late Friday, said Attaullah Khugyani, the spokesman for the Nangarhar provincial governor.

Bozorg’s death was confirmed by the Afghan Defense Ministry.

Islamic State fighters have been confined to four districts of the Nangarhar province, but have slowly been spreading to other provinces, adding pressure on the already-stretched Afghan security forces.

The U.S. Defense Department previously confirmed the death of the al-Qaida’s leader for northeastern Afghanistan during an airstrike in eastern Kunar province of Afghanistan last month.