30 Taliban rebels surrender in Herat, Afghanistan

Taliban fighters (R) attend a surrender ceremony in western Afghan province of Herat, Jan. 30, 2012. Thirty more Taliban rebels surrendered in the Afghanistan's western province of Herat on Monday, a provincial police source said. (Xinhua/Sardar)

HERAT, Afghanistan, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- Thirty more Taliban rebels surrendered in the Afghanistan's western province of Herat on Monday, a provincial police source said.

"A total of 30 Taliban, including their commander namely Mullah Abdullah, have renounced violence and joined the peace process in Pashtun Zarghun district on Monday," police chief of Herat province Sayed Agha Saqib told Xinhua.

By joining of the former insurgents to society, the peace and stability would further be strengthen in eastern parts of the province with Herat city as its capital, some 640 km west of capital city of Kabul, Saqib said.

Taliban militants fighting Afghan and NATO-led troops have not to make comment yet.

The Afghan government set up a High Peace Council in summer 2010 to encourage Taliban to disarm and give up militancy against the government.

More than 3,000 anti-government insurgents have laid down their arms in Afghanistan over the past year, according to officials.

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