KABUL: The Afghan military says its air force has hit militant Islamic State (IS) group fighters in the eastern province of Nangarhar, killing at least 40 insurgents.

Defence Ministry spokesman Gen Dawlat Waziri says the airstrike took place late Thursday night in Achin district and also wounded several IS militants.

District governor Ghalib Mujahid says the airstrike targeted a meeting of IS fighters that was underway in the Pikha Lataband area.

He says most of the dead were foreign fighters and that their bodies were collected by the local villagers and handed over to IS, which has gained a foothold in Nangarhar.

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