Hundreds of firearms recovered in the northeast

The government has recovered over 250 firearms and about 3,000 rounds of ammunition in North Eastern Province in the past two months, the 'East African Standard' reported on Wednesday. The newspaper quoted Provincial Commissioner Mahmoud Saleh as saying that the weaponry had been surrendered to the government through the efforts of local elders and the security services. Speaking at a meeting of community leaders to discuss the resettlement of families displaced by violent clashes last year in Wajir North District, Saleh praised local people for their cooperation in the disarmament efforts, adding that he believed banditry and inter-clan fighting in the province had declined in recent months. A UN small arms fact-finding mission to Kenya in August concluded that small arms flows from neighbouring Somalia (which has borders with North Eastern Province), Sudan and Ethiopia had increased the availablilty of arms and greatly contributed to a deterioration of security in the country.