Some 34 militants of Islamic State (IS) were killed after Afghan army struck their positions in the country's eastern province of Nangarhar, said provincial government spokesman on Saturday.

"Over the past 24 hours, Afghan army personnel backed by local tribesmen fighters and Afghan air force pounded several Daesh (Arabic acronym for IS) hideouts in Haska Mina district, killing 34 militants," Attahullah Khogyani told Xinhua.

About 16 IS militants were wounded and seven arrests were made following the raids, the spokesman added.

On Thursday night, dozens of IS militants attacked an army checkpoint in the restive district, killing 17 army soldiers.

Khogyani said the raid was launched in response to the recent IS attack against the army post in the district south of provincial capital Jalalabad city, 120 km east of national capital of Kabul.

The mountainous province has been the scene of clashes between security forces and IS militants since the emergence of IS there in early 2015.

The militant group has yet to make comments.

source: Xinhua