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Small arms destruction commences in the Ivory Coast – peace returns
An official says authorities in Ivory Coast are starting to destroy hundreds of small arms collected since the end of the post-election violence that claimed some 3,000 lives.
Spokeswoman Laetitia Dia Allou of the West African nation’s commission against arms proliferation said the destruction of some 600 weapons started Thursday.
She says a total of about 2,000 weapons were collected from former militants and civilians since October 2011.
It is estimated that people across the country still own some 3 million small weapons, the disarmament program though slow is gaining momentum.
Clashes broke out when former President Laurent Gbagbo refused to accept defeat after it was determined Alassane Ouattara won at the polls in November 2010.
Peace has now returned to the Ivory Coast.