27 IS militants killed in northern Afghan province

SHEBERGHAN, Afghanistan, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Twenty-seven militants of the Islamic States (IS) have been killed in Jawzjan province, north of Afghanistan, a local official said Thursday.

On a confirmed tip-off, the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces attacked an IS hideout in Darzab, Jawzjan, killing 27 IS militants, the press office of Afghan army Corps 209 Shaheen based in the region said in a statement.

As the security force engaged with the militants during the clash an armed depot of the militants' also detonated, and most of the casualties occurred following the explosion, the statement reads, adding "among those militants killed were 18 foreigners."

The IS militant group has yet to make comments.

Up to 2,302 militants loyal to the Islamic State (IS) have been killed and more than 499 others sustained injuries over the past 11 months in four Afghan provinces, according to Afghan Defense Ministry figures. Enditem