SHIBERGHAN, Afghanistan, April 1 (Xinhua) -- Four militants of the Islamic State (IS) group including one in charge of the group's prison have given up fighting and joined the government-backed peace process, an army spokesman in the northern region Nasratullah Jamshidi said Sunday.

"The in-charge of IS prison named Abdul Rahman alias Nematullah along with three of his bodyguards handed over their weapons to local authorities and joined the peace process on Saturday," Jamshidi told Xinhua.

Nematullah and his men, according to the official, were active against government in Darzab and Qush Tepa districts of Jawzjan province over the past several months and their surrender would demoralize the hardliner IS group in the restive province, the official added.

Meanwhile, Abdul Hafiz Khashi, the deputy for provincial police chief said that the former IS warder Nematullah has said that the radical policies of the group and harassing people have forced him to desert the hardliner IS group and join the peace process.

This is the first time, obviously, that IS militants have given up fighting in Afghanistan.

Their surrender is taking place in the wake of heavy military pressure and increasing airstrikes against IS militants in Jawzjan province over the past two months.

At least two IS fighters were killed and three others arrested in Darzab district during air raids on Saturday.