ASADABAD, Afghanistan, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Forty-two Islamic State (IS) militants gave up fighting and laid down their arms in Afghanistan's eastern province of Kunar, the provincial governor has said.

"The surrendered militants were active in Wata Pur, Chawkay, Chapa Dara, Nurgal, and Manogay. The former militants joined the national peace and reconciliation process. The concerned departments would register their names and would provide them necessary help," governor Abdul Satar Mirzakwal told reporters here on Sunday.

They handed over 40 rounds of guns and machine guns to provincial police authorities, the governor added.

With the former insurgents' surrender, peace and stability would be further strengthened in several parts of the province, 180 km east of the country's capital, Kabul.

The surrendered called on fellow IS members to join the process.

More than 800 Taliban militants and Islamic State (IS) members have surrendered to the government since the beginning of January.■