GROZNY, August 19 (RIA Novosti) - Two former members of illegal armed groups surrendered in the last 24 hours in Chechnya, local Interior Ministry said Saturday.

The ministry's spokesman Magomet Deniyev said a total of 124 militants had surrendered to the authorities since the Kremlin declared an amnesty until August 1 and later extended it until September 30.

Chechen warlord Doku Umarov's older brother surrendered to authorities Friday, the North Caucasus republic's government said.

"I came to [Prime Minister] Ramzan Kadyrov, taking his word for it," Akhmed Umarov told journalists in Gudermes, at the premier's residence.

"I am not responsible for the actions of my younger brother and have decided to turn myself in to the Chechen authorities without any outside pressure," he said. "I am tired of this chaos, and want to return to a peaceful life, and also to find my father, who is missing."

Sporadic fighting in Chechnya - although the active phase of the anti-terrorism campaign has been declared over - has hampered efforts to rebuild housing and infrastructure, create jobs and incite separatists to return to peaceful life in the republic after a decade of warfare.