115 militants surrender in northern Afghanistan: police

A total of 115 Taliban rebels surrendered to the government in Afghanistan's northern province of Jawzjan on Wednesday, the provincial police chief said.

"Some 2,000 security force members launched a cleanup operation early Wednesday morning in Jawzjan province and Dasht-e-Laili of neighboring Faryab province. In the wake of the operation, some 115 Taliban fighters laid down arms and surrendered to the security forces," General Rahmatullah Turkistani told Xinhua.

Afghan First Vice President General Abdul Rahshid Dostum is currently commanding thousands of security force members in the region to clear his hometown Jawzjan and surrounding areas from militants.

The former militants brought over 100 rounds of high-powered firearms and guns when they surrendered to Dostum's forces, the police official noted.

Several militant local commanders, including Mohammad Mohalim alias Zarqawi, who served as a Taliban shadow district governor for Shirin Tagab district of Faryab were among the surrendered men, he said.

He added that there is possibility more Taliban members could also surrender in the couple of days.

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 peace and reconciliation process, according to officials. But the claim has been rejected by the armed group. Enditem