Afghanistan: UN-assisted commission seeks disarmament of flashpoint region

A United Nations-assisted Afghan security commission is set to hold an extraordinary meeting on Saturday to finalize disarmament plans for a northern region that has been a flashpoint for tensions between rival militias, a UN spokesman said today.

The Mazar Security Commission in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, and representatives of the local commanders from the Jumbish and Jamiat militias, will discuss the details of when and where disarmament should take place in Sholgara district.

The commanders have agreed not to return to Sholgara until disarmament has been completed and they are reporting to the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in Mazar every day, mission spokesman David Singh told a briefing in Kabul, the Afghan capital.

At the Security Commission meeting yesterday all factions agreed that five areas to be identified in the lower Dar-i-Suf sector would be disarmed, Mr. Singh said.

UNAMA has helped the commission broker truces in several areas of northern Afghanistan recently. In April it helped end a spate of deadly violence between the warring factions in the northern city of Maimana.