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Disarmament of militias postponed

[Cote d'Ivoire] Denis Glofiei Maho leader of the Forces for the Resistance of the Grand West at his residence in Guiglo with one of his armed militia men. [Date picture taken: 10/26/2005] Sarah Simpson/IRIN
Militia leader Denis Glofiei Maho, pictured in Guiglo
    ABIDJAN

    Pro-government militias in the west of Cote d’Ivoire will not hand in their guns as scheduled on Thursday postponing the much-delayed disarmament programme, key to holding presidential elections later this year, once again.

    “After meeting with the militia leaders, we found that not everyone had been fully informed,” an official of the national disarmament programme told IRIN.

    “It has been postponed.”

    Rebel and army chiefs agreed to start disarming thousands of pro-government militias, many of which are based in the western cocoa-growing region, last week. A ceremony held last year to the same end stopped short of dismantling the armed groups.

    Leaders of the two sides are set to meet on 15 June to discuss the return to barracks of rebel and loyalist fighters, or the ‘regroupment’ phase of the disarmament programme.

    PB/ SS

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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