Afghanistan begins main phase of disarmament programme - UN mission

Afghanistan has launched the main phase of a national campaign to disarm tens of thousands of irregular troops, according to the United Nations mission in the country.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD), with support from the Afghanistan New Beginnings Programme (ANBP), kicked off the campaign in the capital Kabul, where ex-fighters of the 99th Rocket Brigade turned in over 60 of their surface-to-air missiles at a military site in nearby Qagarah, making the first time a military unit has turned in its missiles.

Manoel de Almeida e Silva, spokesman for the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) told a news briefing yesterday that as the programme rolls out some 800 soldiers from six units will be disarmed and demobilized.

Two weeks later, they will begin the reintegration programme of their choice, according to Mr. de Almeida e Silva. The options are agriculture, vocational training, small business, de-mining, contracting teams or joining the Afghan National Army or Afghan National Police.