KABUL, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Four militants of the Haqqani militant group were killed following an airstrike in Khost province, eastern Afghanistan on Wednesday, the Defense Ministry said Thursday.

"An Afghan Air Force aircraft targeted a group of Haqqani terrorist network in Spera district, Khost province, late Wednesday, killing four members of the network," the ministry said in a statement.

As a Taliban-linked group of militants, the Haqqani network is mostly operating in eastern provinces and capital Kabul and has been responsible for many high-profile attacks against security forces.

The network, which was designated as a terrorist group by the United States in 2012, has yet to respond to the report.