KABUL, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in west Afghanistan's Herat province said Tuesday that 40 Taliban fighters had joined the government since Monday.

    "Forty rebels have surrendered their arms and resumed their normal lives in Gazara district," senior military commander in the province General Jalandar Shah Behnam told Xinhua.

    He also asserted that the operation would continue until they provided full security to the locals.

    The surrender of militants took place in the wake of the killing of Taliban commander in Gazara district Ghulam Yahya Akbari days ago.

    Akbari, along with 25 of his men, was killed in an operation, according to Behnam.

    However, the Taliban have not made any comment.