"We confirm that Badruddin Haqqani, who was the alleged mastermind of almost all sophisticated attacks in Kabul, was killed in a drone strike," National Directorate of Security spokesman Lutfullah Mashal told AFP.

"Our information is based on interception of the conversation of the guys (Haqqani members) on the ground who confirmed he was dead," Mashal said.

The death of Badruddin, the son of Haqqani network founder Jalaluddin Haqqani, has been rumoured for days but has been denied by the Taliban, to which the network is allied.

"This is propaganda of the enemy. Badruddin is alive and he will soon talk to the media," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told AFP.

"He is inside Afghanistan and busy with operations."

But confirmation of whether Badruddin Haqqani died in the strikes has been difficult to obtain from the remote and mountainous area.

If Badruddin's death is confirmed it will be a serious blow to the organisation, seen by the United States as a major threat in the Afghan war, although his brother Sirajuddin Haqqani remains a key leader of the group.