By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan

Authorities in Afghanistan on Saturday claimed to have killed the top regional commander for Daesh in northern Jawzjan province.

Hanif Rezaee, spokesman for the Afghan army, told Anadolu Agency that the regional commander Qari Hekmatullah Ghayur along with one of his companions was killed in an air raid on Friday.

''Qari Hekmatullah was one of the leading members of Daesh who planned and led [a] majority of terrorist and destructive attacks in Jawzjan province,'' the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

The terrorist group has named Mawlawi Habibur Rehman of Balkh province as his successor, it added.

The Afghan Air Force has expedited air attacks against rebels across the country.