More than 160 militants give up fighting in northern Afghanistan as military pressure intensifies

Up to 165 Taliban militants have given up fighting in the northern Faryab and Jauzjan provinces over the past couple of days as military crackdowns against armed oppositions in the said provinces is underway over the past couple of months.

A total of 115 armed militants, according to Sayed Sarwar Hussaini, the spokesman of police in the northern region, gave up fighting and surrendered to government forces in Faryab province on Tuesday.

The former militants, according to the official, were active in Faryab and Jauzjan provinces over the past couple of years.

A day later on Wednesday, 50 more militants handed over their weapons to security forces in Dawlatabad district of Faryab province.

The surrender of more than 160 militants is taking place amid the presence of first vice president General Abdul Rashid Dostum in the northern region and commanding thousands of troops in the war against militants in Faryab and Jauzjan provinces.

General Dostum warned Taliban early this month to either give up fighting and reintegrate to their communities or face the music.

He also vowed not to ease the military pressure unless the militants hand in their weapons.

Meanwhile, Qari Mohammad Yusuf Ahmadi who claims to speak for the Taliban group in contact with media has termed the Taliban surrender in Faryab and Jauzjan provinces as a "fake drama" saying Mohammad Zahir has no relation with the Taliban.

"The government's claim of surrendering Mohammad Zahir along with more than 150 armed men to Dostum forces is merely propaganda against Taliban fighters," Qari Yusuf insisted.

Moreover, an army spokesman in the northern region Nasratullah Jamshidi in talks with Xinhua confirmed surrendering of armed militants in Faryab province, and said that keeping on military pressure has delivered.

He also noted that ceaseless military pressure would continue against anti-government militants elsewhere in the country.

(APD)