20 Taliban militants give up fighting in N. Afghanistan

(file photo)

PUL-E-KHUMRI, Afghanistan, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- A Taliban group composed of 20 fighters Thursday gave up fighting and laid down their arms in Afghanistan's Baghlan province, 160 km north of Kabul. "Twenty Taliban fighters under Mullah Sayed Ahmad who were active in Nahrin district over the past couple of years gave up fighting and handed over their weapons to authorities today," security official Abdul Hafiz Karimi told the press while welcoming the former militants in a ceremony.

He said that giving up fighting by these former fighters would further strengthen security in Baghlan province.

The government would spare no efforts to provide job opportunities to the former fighters and ensure their security, the official said.

According to government officials, more than 3,000 Taliban fighters have laid down arms and joined the government-backed peace process over the past year. However, Taliban militants have rejected the claim as baseless.

from XINHUA
 2012-11-29 18:59:17

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Posted in: Afghanistan, Baghlan, Baghlan Province, Nahrin District, Taliban