The U.S. military says the group’s nascent presence in Afghanistan has dwindled, with fighters largely confined to two or three districts in Nangarhar from around nine in January.
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Khan’s death affects ISIL-Khorasan recruiting efforts and will disrupt its operations in Afghanistan and the region, he said.
Five U.S. commandos were injured in combat with Islamic State fighters during the offensive, in what officials thought was the first instance of Americans being wounded in fighting against the IS in Afghanistan.
Pentagon spokesman Gordon Trowbridge confirmed Khan’s death, and said in a statement that the airstrike took place during joint operations by USA and Afghan special operations forces against ISIS in the southern part of Nangarhar province.
Afghan authorities erroneously believed Saeed had been killed in another strike in July 2015, when a United States drone targeted dozens of IS-linked cadres in restive Nangarhar province, close to the Pakistani border.
This province includes Afghanistan, Pakistan and parts of neighbouring countries was lead by Saeed before he was killed.
Instead, ISIL leader in Afghanistan and Pakistan Hafiz Saeed Khan was killed in the strike.
White House officials in June gave administration’s tacit approval to allow US commanders in Afghanistan to conduct offensive airstrikes against the Taliban, the Islamic State and other insurgent groups and to let American troops restart joint ground operations with Afghan forces.
Both the Pakistani Taliban and IS jihadists have claimed responsibility for a horrific suicide bombing on Monday at a hospital in Pakistan which killed 73 people.
In terms of its own territory, Islamic State has been largely confined to a handful of districts in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province, which borders Pakistan, where IS militants – mostly defectors from the Taliban – are blamed for raiding villages and government outposts.
Saeed, a former member of the Pakistani branch of the Taliban who swore allegiance to ISIL, had also been reported killed a year ago, but his death was never confirmed.
After the August 4 crash, local authorities in Afghanistan said the six-person crew had been taken hostage by the Afghan Taliban.
If Khan is dead, it is unclear who would replace him.
Afghan authorities erroneously believed Saeed had been killed in another strike in July 2015, when a USA drone targeted dozens of ISIL-linked cadres in Nangarhar province, close to the Pakistani border.
Bombs launched by jihadists last month tore through Kabul and killed 80 people in the deadliest attack since 2001. Khan had previously been a Tehrik-e Taliban commander, but previous year pledged loyalty to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
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In January, President Obama gave the US military authority to strike the Islamic State in Afghanistan and operations, including airstrikes, against them began immediately.
