Nineteen militants surrender in N Afghanistan

Nineteen Taliban insurgents have surrendered to Afghan security forces in western province of Herat, the military said Thursday.

The former militants, tired of long conflicts with the security forces in Chishti Sharif district of the province, ultimately gave up arms and surrendered to Afghan National Army (ANA) on Wednesday, army's 207 Zafar Corps said in a statement.

The militants pledged not to return to war and violence, and would continue peaceful lives alongside ordinary Afghan citizens after joining the national reconciliation process, said the statement.

More than 400 Taliban militants and Islamic State (IS) members have surrendered to the government since early January.