Eighteen Daesh members accompanied by 24 women and 31 children surrendered to Afghan forces on Friday in Achin district, Nangarhar province, the Defense Ministry said in a statement on Saturday. 

The total number of Daesh militants and family members who have surrendered to Afghan forces in the past two weeks is “over 615,” according to the Defense Ministry, which attributes the recent mass surrenders to increased operations against “terrorists” by security forces.

On Thursday, 82 Daesh fighters handed over their weapons and surrendered to Afghan security forces in Achin district of Nangarhar, and were accompanied by 51 women and 96 children. 

On Wednesday, ‘at least 300’ Daesh members, including women and children, surrendered to Afghan Special Forces in Nangarhar, according to Commander Waliullah, the Army Special Forces commander in Achin district.

According to Abdulhaq Omeri, a TOLOnews reporter, a number of those 300 Daesh members are Pakistani citizens. But interviews with Daesh members indicate that fighters come from a variety of countries.

“There were Daesh members from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Iran, Kurdistan and Iranian Baluchistan, and they were staying in our guest house, but not for a long time. After having a meal or resting for a night they would move on to other areas,” said Abdul Wahid, 35, a former Daesh member from Afghanistan’s Farah Province, who surrendered among the 300 on Wednesday.