IS activist from Kerala killed in US bombing in Afghanistan

An Islamic State (IS) activist from Kerala is believed to have been killed along with 36 IS militants when the US unleashed a massive GBU-43 bomb, also known as the "mother of all bombs", on the terror group's position in a cave network in eastern Afghanistan.

According to Indian intelligence officials, Murshid Mohammed, in his 20s, who hailed from Kasaragode in Kerala, was among the IS militants killed after the US military struck the IS' position in Nangarhar province, near the Pakistan border, on Thursday with a massive 10-tonne missile-powered bomb.

Speaking to IANS, a top intelligence officer in Kasargode said that around Thursday midnight they got information of Mohammed being killed in the US military assault.

"The information of the death came to a relative of Mohammed. Unlike similar news received in February about the death of another youth from here, this time there are no pictures (to establish the death)," the officer said.

A relative of Mohammed received only a message that he was killed, according to the Kerala Police intelligence wing.

The bomb used in the strike is claimed to be the biggest-ever non-nuclear bomb. It was so massive that it had to be dropped from the rear of a cargo plane, said Pentagon.

Afghan officials said 36 militants were killed in the strike.

"The strike has destroyed an IS headquarters, three IS hideouts along with several bunkers and deep tunnels as well as huge amount of weapons and ammunition," the Afghanistan Defence Ministry statement said.