Afghan officials stand beside the armed insurgents who have given up fighting in Shahrak District of Ghor Province, Afghanistan, Jan. 9, 2020. More than 300 armed insurgents have laid down arms and surrendered to local authorities as government forces have geared up crackdowns on militants in Afghanistan, officials said Sunday. (Photo by Fawad Ahmadi/Xinhua)
KABUL, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- More than 300 armed insurgents have laid down arms and surrendered to local authorities as government forces have geared up crackdowns on militants in Afghanistan, officials said Sunday.
In the latest event of giving up fighting by militants and surrendering to security forces, 93 Taliban fighters have laid down arms and integrated in their communities in Shahrak district of western Ghor province over the past one week, a statement of the army's Zafar 207 Corps said on Sunday.
Expressing repentance over their involvement in anti-government activities in past years, the former militants, according to the statement, vowed to join hands in the rebuilding process of their country to stand on its feet.
"We have seen no reason to fight against the government," said one of the surrendering militants on condition of anonymity, according to the statement.
Similarly, about 250 anti-government insurgents have given up fighting and handed over their weapons to security forces in northern Badakhshan province over the past couple of months, provincial police spokesman Sanaullah Rohani said.
According to the official, the government forces would further increase crackdown on the insurgents elsewhere in the province.
Echoing the notion, the army's Miwand 215 Corps Commander General Zabihullah Momand who is based in the restive southern region said recently that the army would soon launch major operations in Taliban hotbed -- the troubled Helmand province -- to gain control of five districts ruled by the Taliban militants.
Meanwhile, Taliban Spokesman Zabihullah Majahid has disputed the claims made by the officials, insisting that Taliban fighters have killed countless security forces over the past couple of months.
Since the warring sides in Afghanistan exaggerate their gains on battlegrounds, it is difficult to verify with independent sources.
