SHIBERGHAN, Afghanistan, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Up to 200 fighters including some senior leaders of the hardliner Islamic State (IS) outfit have given up fighting and handed over their weapons to local authorities in Darzab district of the northern Jawzjan province on Wednesday, provincial governor Mawlawi Lutfullah Azizi said.
"Up to 200 IS militants including their leaders Mawlawi Habibullah, Mafti Nematullah and Mawlawi Suhbat have given up fighting and handed over their weapons to local authorities in Darzab district today morning," Azizi told Xinhua.
The surrender of IS militants to the government, according to the official, is taking place in the wake of fierce fighting between Taliban and IS group in Darzab and the neighboring Qush Tepa district which have left around 300 people dead from both sides over the past three weeks.
Darzab district in the northern Jawzjan province with Shiberghan as its capital 390 km north of Kabul has been regarded as IS bastion over the past two years.
IS group has yet to make a comment on the situation.
