Ivory Coast rebels disarm

The former fighters in Cote d’Ivoire’s western region who took part in the armed clashes at the height of the post-election crisis, have started returning their weapons, an official said.

The National Commission for Fighting Against the Proliferation of Small Weapons (COMNAT-ALPC) said that the operation to collect weapons which began at the western locality of Danan, had enabled the authorities to receive weapons and ammunitions from over 60 people who were holding them illegally.

Officials of COMNAT-ALPC said weapons received were mostly light hand guns, kalachnikov, grenades and automatic pistols.

“The commission continued with the operation in another western locality of Guiglo where a sensitisation session was held to inform the public about the need for those holding weapons illegally to return them,” the official added..

The commission’s local officials assured the ex-fighters that they would not be punished if they returned weapons in the possession and explained that those who returned weapons would be provided with a card for demobilised persons to enable them to be reintegrated into the society.

The operation by Cote d’Ivoire’s security authorities to mop up illegally held weapons which is to prevent the proliferation of small weapons and to avert post-crisis insecurity has benefited from support of various international partners including the UN Operation in Cote d’Ivoire (ONUCI).

Similar sessions have already been held in other Abidjan districts and other towns in the country.

Until today, more than 2,000 ex-fighters have voluntarily returned over 1,500 weapons and over 50,000 ammunitions.

Western Cote d’Ivoire is the region that paid the heaviest price in the post-election violence which was characterised by bloody confrontation between supporters of ex-president Laurent Gbagbo and incumbent president Alassane Ouattara.