The top US general in Afghanistan, John Nicholson, said on Friday that Washington intends to step up military operations against ISIS in the country’s east during a temporary ceasefire between the Afghan government and the Taliban. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Thursday announced the first unconditional ceasefire with the Taliban, coinciding with the end of Ramadan. But that excludes other militant groups such as ISIS. The group has developed a stronghold in Nangarhar, on the porous eastern border with Pakistan, and become some of the country’s most dangerous militants since they appeared around the start of 2015. "(Operations against ISIS) will continue, in fact will be even intensified during this period of ceasefire as we focus on ISIS," Nicholson told reporters. He said the ceasefire could free resources for operations against ISIS, but some would remain to monitor the Taliban and for force protection. Afghan commandos, supported by US Special forces and American and Afghan air power, have been carrying out an operation against the militants in Nangarhar. Meanwhile, Afghan security forces killed 10 Taliban militants as the ceasefire took effect, an official said on Friday. The 10 included five Pakistanis killed in the clash in Nangarhar, the official said, adding, "We finished the operation and will now follow the ceasefire plan." Four people were killed and five wounded by unidentified gunmen in a separate attack on a lawmakers Nangarhar home on Friday. The lawmaker was not at home at the time. The ceasefire followed a meeting of Islamic clerics this week that declared a fatwa, or ruling, against suicide bombings, one of which, claimed by ISIS, killed 14 people at the entrance to the clerics peace tent in Kabul. The clerics also recommended a ceasefire with the Taliban.