(KUNA) -- Up to 24 armed militants surrendered to government troops after being besieged in the village of Maslmoun in the region of Tibaza 80 kilometers west of the capital, a security source said. The source, quoted by the press on Tuesday, said the gunmen who gave up were affiliated to the "salafi group for daawa and fighting," a hardline group that has refused to join the peace national conciliation pocess.The gunmen had been surrounded, since last Thursday, by a combined force of the security troops and the anti-terrorism squad, the source said. Several hardline groups have given up arms to the government and taken advantage of a presidential clemency. Internal violence broke out in the early 90s after Islamic groups were barred from taking part in polls. More than 100,000 people have been killed since then.