Over a dozen Taliban insurgents surrendered to the government in Afghanistan's western province of Herat on Sunday, a p rovincial official said.

A seven-member group of Taliban fighters, including their commander Mullah Ghulam Sakhi, has renounced violence and joined the government in Guzara district of Herat province Sunday morning, acting provincial governor Aseeluddin Jami told Xinhua.

He said the former insurgents also handed over a handful of weapons and explosive materials to security officials in the province, some 640 km west of capital city of Kabul.

In a similar development, some 20 more Taliban fighters surrendered to the government in eastern Nangarhar province also on Sunday, according to a press release issued by the provincial administration.

"The ex-insurgents have in the past been involved in anti- government activities in Rodat, Achin and Spinzar districts of Nangarhar province but laid down arms and joined the peace process today," the release added.

More than 3,000 anti-government insurgents, according to officials, have la id down arms in Afghanistan over the past year, a claim rejected by the Taliban outfit as propaganda.