U.S. forces killed the latest leader to take the helm of the Islamic State in Afghanistan, after his two predecessors were killed in American strikes over the past year, the Pentagon announced Friday.

U.S. forces killed Abu Sayed in a raid Tuesday on the terror group's headquarters in Kunar province in eastern Afghanistan, the Pentagon said in a statement.

The Islamic State, also known as ISIS, has emerged as a threat in Afghanistan in recent years, though it is not as powerful as the Taliban, which is also battling the U.S.-backed government in Kabul.

The strike Tuesday also killed other ISIS militants and "will significantly disrupt the terror group's plans to expand its presence in Afghanistan," according to a statement from Dana White, the chief Pentagon spokeswoman.

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