An Afghan official says that bodies of nine civilians abducted by militants early last year have been found in the country's eastern province of Nangarhar.

A district governor says the bodies, including three of tribal leaders, were found dumped in a common grave over the weekend.

Sayed Rahman Mohmand of Kot district says the locals found the bodies in neighbouring Achin district.

The nine were abducted by militants in early 2017 in Kot and nothing was known about their fate till now.

Mohmand says the Islamic State (IS) group was behind the abduction and the killings, though the militant group has not claimed responsibility for the deaths.

Both the Taliban and IS are active in eastern Afghanistan.