28 Taliban rebels surrender in W. Afghan province

(file photo)

CHEQHCHERAN, Afghanistan, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- More than two dozen Taliban insurgents have renounced the violence and joined the Afghan peace and reconciliation process in western Afghan province of Ghor on Thursday, a provincial government spokesman said.

"As many as 28 Taliban, including two local insurgent commanders named Mullah Esa and Abdul Karim, joined the government in Chahar Sada and Shahrak districts Thursday morning," spokesman Abdul Hai Khatibi told Xinhua.

They also handed over a handful of weapons to security authorities, he added.

Taliban militants fighting Afghan and NATO-led troops have not made any comment yet.

The Afghan government set up a 70-member High Peace Council in the summer of 2010 to encourage Taliban to disarm and give up militancy against the government.

Up to 5,000 Taliban foot soldiers and local commanders have joined the government over the past one year, according to the Afghan officials.

from XINHUA
2012-08-02 21:46:53

Posted in: Afghanistan, NATO, Shahrak, Taliban