WASHINGTON (AFP) – More than 1,700 former Taliban combatants have turned in their weapons to join a reintegration program started by the Afghan government nearly a year ago, the NATO general in charge of the program said Thursday.
"So far we've got about 1,740 former fighters who have formally joined the reintegration process," said British Major General Phil Johns, the director of the ***** Reintegration Cell of the International Security Assistance *****.
"On top of this, the High Peace Council has at least another 40 to 45 groups in negotiations across the country," said Johns, referring to the Afghan agency in charge of political reconciliation.
"That may be as much as 2,000 fighters," added Johns, who was talking to reporters in Washington via teleconference from Kabul.
The peace process provides amnesty to former Taliban members who agree to renounce ********, sever ties with terrorist groups, and live under the Afghan constitution, said Johns.
