55 IS militants surrender in Afghanistan's Nangarhar: official

JALALABAD, Afghanistan, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- Fifty-five members of the Islamic State (IS) terror group surrendered to Taliban rulers in eastern Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, a Taliban provincial official said on Friday.

"Following efforts by local elders, a total of 55 members of Daesh (the IS) group gave up fighting and surrendered to the provincial department of General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) in Nangarhar Friday," Mohammad Bashir from the provincial intelligence office told reporters.

The surrendered militants were active in Batil Kot, Achin and Spin Ghar districts of Nangarhar, a known IS militants' stronghold, according to the source.

The incident occurred amid military pressure mounted by Taliban security forces on militants in the country's eastern mountainous region.

The IS militants have not responded to the report so far.