The US military launched a drone strike in eastern Afghanistan, which killed a planner for a branch of the Islamic State group.

The suspected member of the IS-K group was targeted in Nangahar Province.

It comes after the deadly attack on the Afghanistan airport, where thousands are trying to flee the Taliban-led country.

IS-K claimed responsibility for the attack outside Kabul airport on Thursday that may have killed as many as 170 people. 12 US troops are among the dead..

The United States and allies HAD urged people to move away from Kabul airport amid a serious threat of a terror attack by Islamic State.

The airport is the centre of a multi-national effort to evacuate Afghans and foreigners after the Taliban overran the capital this month.

Mass evacuations

In the past two weeks, more than 100,000 people are believed to have been evacuated.

President Joe Biden promised to hunt down the jihadists behind Thursday’s suicide bombing.

The President has come under pressure over the way the US pulled out of Afghanistan.

“We will not forgive, we will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay,” Mr Biden said.

Why ISIS-K is Taliban’s biggest threat – READ MORE

IS-K, or Islamic State Khorasan Province, is the most extreme and violent of all the jihadist militant groups in Afghanistan.

Deadly blast

The blast tore through crowds of men, women and children outside Kabul airport.

Dozens of Afghans trying to leave the country were killed. In addition to the US personnel killed,

Roughly 5,000 US troops are still stationed at Kabul airport, processing Afghans desperate to leave.