News - Afghanistan

A group of eight insurgents joined the Afghan peace and reconciliation programme in northern Baghlan province, the first group since the province was handed to Afghan control, provincial police chief Asadullah Shirzad said Thursday.

The militants were involved in insurgent activities throughout the province and Shirzad said their surrender was seen as a positive step towards bringing security to the province and the country.

He said the group turned themselves in because the province is no longer under the control of foreign forces.

"Eight insurgents surrendered to the government and handed over their weapons to the authorities. The reason for their surrender is the security transition from foreign to Afghan forces," he told TOLOnews.

It comes as 13 insurgents renounced violence in southern Kandahar province on Tuesday, although one of them told TOLOnews he had been in prison for the last two years, not fighting as an insurgent.