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Former junta leader hands in weapons

    ABIDJAN

    Former military strongman Johnny Paul Koroma surrendered weapons and other military equipment to UNAMSIL on Friday, UNAMSIL spokeswoman Hirut Befecadu told IRIN.

    He was joined by some 90 former soldiers of his defunct Armed Forces Revolutionary Council that ruled from 25 May 1997 to February 1998 when ousted by the Nigerian-led West African Peace Monitoring Force, ECOMOG. Koroma called on other groups - the anti-government Revolutionary United Front and the pro-government Civil Defence Forces - to follow his example.

    Befecadu said Koroma’s group handed over 49 rifles, seven rocket-propelled grenades, three general purpose machine guns, one large machine gun, 27 RPG bombs, eight boxes of ammunition and military tents.

    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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