At least 12 loyalists of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group were killed in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan.
According to the local government officials, the militants were killed during a gun battle with the Afghan national security forces in Achin district.
The district’s administrative chief Haji Ghalib said the gun battle between the Afghan forces and the ISIS loyalists triggered following an attack on a security post in Abdul Khel area.
He said the two sides exchanged fire for several hours before the Afghan forces manage to push them back, leaving at least 12 militants dead.
According to Haji Ghalib, at least three members of the Afghan national security forces also sustained injuries during the gun battle.
Nangarhar is among the relatively volatile provinces in eastern Afghanistan where anti-government armed militants are actively operating in a number of its remote districts.
The Achin and Kot districts have became a main operational base for the militants loyal to the Islamic State terror group during the recent months.