KABUL: Two drone strikes targeted militants loyal to the self-styled Islamic State (IS) in Afghanistan on Tuesday, killing between 25 and 49 insurgents, according to differing estimates by Afghan and foreign officials.
An increasing number of militants are pledging allegiance to the IS in Afghanistan, making them a target of deadly strikes there by the US unmanned aircraft.
A total of 49 militants were killed in the strikes in the eastern province of Nangarhar, which targeted the village of Mamd Dara in Achin district, where the fighters routinely held gatherings, a spokesman for the governor said.
“The first drone strike took place at 12 (noon) on Monday... the second one happened at 2pm,” said Ahmad Zia Abdulzai.
However, the foreign official said the number of dead was believed to be closer to 25.
One of the most high profile figures to have been targeted in drone strikes so far was former Guantanamo Bay detainee Mullah Abdul Rauf, who had defected to IS and was killed by a strike in Helmand province in February.
Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2015
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