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Forty Revolutionary United Front (RUF) fighters disarmed on Tuesday to the UN Mission in Sierra Leone at a brief ceremony, attended by UNAMSIL Force Commander General Daniel Opande, marking the beginning of demobilisation in the area.
UNAMSIL reported that two children were among the fighters who included the RUF area brigade commander, Molesky Kallon. They handed in general purpose machine guns, AK-47s and FN rifles which UNAMSIL destroyed at the disarmament site.
Kallon, an RUF “colonel”, called on all his fighters and those of the pro-government Civil Defence Force (CDF) to disarm and make Port Loko District a weapons-free zone. Opande also told the RUF fighters to forget war and start the process of healing and reconciliation.
UNAMSIL expects at least 1,500 combatants to disarm at Lunsar, some 80 km northeast of Freetown. UNAMSIL reported that on Tuesday 227 CDF fighters disarmed at Sandaru, Kailahun District, and were flown to the Daru demobilisation and reintegration camp.
The combatants turned in 52 assorted weapons, 77 magazines, 5,000 pieces of various ammunition, 38 hand grenades, one smoke grenade and five RPG bombs.
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