KABUL, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Up to 1,600 militants loyal to the Islamic State (IS) have been killed in Afghanistan over the past nine months, local news agency Pajhwok reported on Thursday.

Citing the Afghan Defense Ministry spokesman, Dawlat Waziri, the agency asserted that 300 commanders of the group are also among those killed over the period and 8,500 others sustained injuries.

The official, however, didn't mention the possible casualties of security forces in the war against IS militants in the militancy-hit country.

IS militants who have been fighting against government in parts of the eastern Nangarhar province and isolated areas of the northern region over the past two years, haven't commented on the report.