ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — A Peshmerga official claimed Monday that nine ISIS militants had surrendered to Peshmerga forces on the Gwer-Makhmur front located 50 miles southwest of Erbil.

"At around 6 am on Monday, nine ISIS militants surrendered to the Peshmerga in the village of Sultan Abdulla on the Gwer front," said Saifulla Shamsaddin, a Peshmerga lieutenant. "The surrendered militants were in civilian clothes and crossed the river and reached Peshmerga front lines."

According to the lieutenant, the surrendered militants are under investigation and their cases will be sent to the Peshmerga ministry and courts.

Earlier this week, two ISIS militants surrendered to Peshmerga forces near Gwer late Friday, said Sirwan Barzani, the commander of the Gwer-Makhmur front.

"Last night, at around 10 pm, two ISIS militants surrendered to the Peshmerga in the village of Sultan Abdulla," said Barzani.

To make sure those who surrender are not disguised suicide bombers, Barzani told Rudaw the Peshmerga asked ISIS militants to get undressed and leave their clothes and possessions behind.

"They know if they stay with the group their lives would be at stake or they may be killed one day in assaults," Barzani said of the growing number of ISIS defections.

In a separate incident, four other ISIS militants surrendered to Kurdish forces near Gwer earlier this month.

“We fled for two reasons: fearing death and starvation,” one of the four ISIS militants told Rudaw. “There is no trust within the organization (ISIS). If they suspect a militant they will kill him right away."

With several militants handing themselves over to the Peshmerga on the Kirkuk front at the beginning of October, the number of ISIS defectors this month so far totals 15.

Rudaw