Taliban militants surrender in N. Afghan province

 

A local Taliban leader and his five associates have given up fighting and surrendered in Afghanistan's northern Faryab province, an army source said Tuesday.

"Six Taliban militants, including their leader Nematullah Khan surrendered to Afghan National Army personnel in Gurziwan district on Monday. They also brought four AK-47 guns, two telecommunication radios and two motorcycles," Hanif Rezai, spokesman of army Corps 209 Shaheen based in the region, told Xinhua.

The surrendered militants were active members of Taliban in Gurziwan, he said, adding with the former insurgents' surrender, peace and stability would be further strengthened in parts of the district.

The Afghan government established a High Council for National Reconciliation late last month and set up a High Peace Council a decade ago to encourage Taliban to disarm and give up militancy against the government.

The Taliban militant group has yet to make comments on the report.