12 militants surrender in northern Afghan province

 A dozen militants surrendered to the government in northern Afghan province of Takhar, an army spokesman said on Tuesday.

"A total of 12 militants renounced the violence and surrendered to Afghan National Army's Shaheen 209 Corps officials in Ishkamish District, Takhar Province," spokesman Nasratullah Jamshidi told Xinhua.

The surrendered group also handed over 10 rounds of their weapons to army officials in the province, 245 km north of the Afghan capital, he said.

Some of the former rebels requested the military to withhold their identities for fear of reprisal by their former comrades.

He said the former militants were all active members of the Taliban militant group in the district.

The Afghan government launched a peace and reconciliation process in 2010 to encourage Taliban to disarm and give up militancy.

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

Source: XINHUA