Taliban shadow governor for Sangin district of southern Helmand province has been killed in an airstrike by the Afghan forces, the Defense Ministry (MoD) claimed.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the MoD stated that Mullah Shafiullah, known as Mawlavi Nazim, was killed along with five militants in air raids.

The statement added that three insurgents were also wounded in the operation.

Taliban have not yet commented.

The development comes after the group’s designated governor, Mullah Nazem, for Faryab province, was killed in an explosion on Friday night.

Provincial police stated that Nazem and six others were killed when their own explosive device detonated in Dawlat Abad district of the province.

The Taliban, however, denied the report.