Afghan President Ashraf Ghani says that a senior Taliban commander has been killed.

During a ceremony Monday honoring the country's security and defense forces, Ghani said that Mullah Abdul Salam, the Taliban's shadow governor for Kunduz province, had been killed on Sunday.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid also confirmed Salam's death, saying it was from an American airstrike in the Dashti Archi district of Kunduz province. Ghani, in his comments, did not elaborate on how Salam died.

During the ceremony Ghani emphasized Afghanistan independence and said that the Taliban and other militant groups are no match for the Afghan security forces.