Islamic State leader in Afghanistan killed in drone strike

KABUL, Afghanistan, July 9 (UPI) -- Shahidullah Shahid, a leader of the Islamic State in Afghanistan, has been killed along with at least 24 other militants by a drone strike.

The drone strike occurred in the Achin district of eastern Nangarhar province on Tuesday. IS deputy commander Gul Zaman was also killed, according to Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security. Shahid wanted to launch a regional fight beginning from Afghanistan's Nangarhar province.

Shahid was the third-most senior commander of the Islamic State in Afghanistan killed in past few months, according to local media outlet TOLO News.

Shahid was the IS leader for Afghanistan's Khorasan province. His real name was Sheikh Maqbool and he previously worked for the Taliban's Pakistani branch, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), until he pledged allegiance to the Islamic State along with five other TPP commanders last year.