Image copyright AFP Image caption The drone strikes took place in Kunar province

A senior al-Qaeda leader has been targeted by a US drone strike in north eastern Afghanistan, US military officials say.

Farouq al-Qahtani, the group's leader in the area, is believed to have been killed on Sunday, officials speaking on condition of anonymity said.

His deputy was also targeted in a separate strike, NBC news reports.

The strikes in Kunar province have not been publicly confirmed and the results are still being assessed.

Saudi-born al-Qahtani, a Qatari national, was placed on a US list of most wanted terrorists in February.

He has been accused of involvement in plots targeting Europe and the US.

Afghan government spokesman Abdul Ghani Mosamem said that 15 insurgents were killed in Sunday's operation, including two Arabs and a number of Pakistani Taliban fighters.