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21 militants surrender in Afghanistan: official

Xinhua, April 23, 2016 Adjust font size:

Some 21 Taliban militants renounced violence and surrendered to the government in northern Afghan province of Baghlan on Saturday, the provincial governor said.

"The former rebels denounced the hostility and joined the peace and reconciliation process. They were active members of Taliban. And they handed over 21 rounds of assault rifles to security authorities in Pul-e-Khumri city Saturday morning," governor Satar Barriz told Xinhua.

The surrendered were active in Dushi District of Baghlan, he said.

With the former insurgents' surrender, peace and stability would be further strengthened in several parts of the province, 160 km north of Kabul, the governor noted.

Taliban militants fighting the government have not made any comments yet.

Since mid-2010, more than 10,000 Taliban militants have laid down arms and joined the government-backed peace and reconciliation process, according to High Peace Council officials, but the claim has been rejected by the armed outfit. Enditem