Hundreds of insurgents join peace process

KABUL): Nearly a dozen groups, comprising 380 insurgents, joined the peace process as a result of efforts by intelligence officials, the spy service said on Thursday.

The surrendering groups included commanders Abdullah, Mullah Rahmatullah, Abdul Nasir, Ghulam Sakhi, Sayed Amir Reyaz, Hassan Gul, Ghulam Saddiq and Nasimullah.

Lotfullah Mashal, the National Directorate of Security (NDS) spokesman, told a press conference in Kabul: “The rebel leaders … have promised not to return to the insurgency.”

Since the creation of the Afghanistan in October 2010, more than 3000 insurgents have joined the government-initiated peace process.

Mashal claimed NDS operatives had captured three insurgents with 6530 kilograms explosives in eastern Nangarhar during a recent operation.

The detainees allegedly include a Pakistani national, Ghulam Rassoul, a resident of the Landikotal border town in the lawless Khyber tribal region. The two others were identified as Abdul Qahar and Turab, residents of Nangarhar.

Mashal said the three had smuggled 98 bags of explosives, disguised as commercial goods, from Pakistan into Nangarhar and then concealed the explosives in a warehouse.

mds/ma/mud