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36 Afghan militants surrender in northern town

Xinhua, January 14, 2016 Adjust font size:

Some 36 Taliban militants have surrendered in Darqad district of the northern Afghan province of Takhar as security forces continue their cleanup operations in the town seized by militants earlier, provincial government spokesman said on Thursday.

"The cleanup operations have been continuing in surrounding areas of Darqad district since the security forces recaptured the district from Taliban recently. Due to the recent persuasion by Abdul Karim Akhondzada, a Taliban local leader who has already given up fighting in Darqad, some 36 of his men have renounced violence and surrendered over the past two days," spokesman Abdul Khalil Asir told Xinhua.

On Sunday, the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) reclaimed the district, which is located some 60 km north of Taluqan, the capital city of Takhar province, from Taliban.

The Taliban ran over the town bordering Tajikistan in October last year.

The former militants had also handed over their weapons to security authorities, the official added.

About 20 militants, including a Taliban judge named Najib Ullah, were also captured by the ANSF during the ongoing cleanup operations there, the spokesman went on to say.

One Afghan soldier and more than 40 militants had been killed and six security force members and several militants wounded during the recapturing operation of the district, according to Asir. Endit