The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) has destroyed 13 small arms confiscated by its troops in line with UN Security Council resolution 2205 of February 2015 that reaffirmed UNISFA mandate to undertake weapons confiscation and destruction in the Abyei Area.

UNISFA Acting Head of Mission and Force Commander, Major General Hassen Ebrahim Mussa, stated that illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons remain a threat to peace and security in Abyei stressing that as more people are returning to their homes and communities are settling in, the misuse of small arms and light weapons has become a grave concern adding that they also hinder the safe return of displaced people as well as peaceful migration of the nomads and their cattle.

The ceremony which marked the first weapons destruction activity of the 16/17 dry season saw the destruction of 13 small arms confiscated by UNISFA troops and was witnessed by Sudan and South Sudan National Monitors, senior UNISFA personnel and members of the general public.

The Force Commander, who was represented by the Ethiopian batt 13 Commanding Officer, Col. Nuru, explained that even though the number of arms destroyed was small it serves as a reminder about the danger of arms and weapons being misused and the mission’s responsibilities to stop it, stressing that UNISFA as a mission will continue its operations to work towards a weapon-free Abyei.

It could be recalled that in November 2015, UNISFA opened a weapons and ammunition management facility where the first batch of weapons and ammunition were destroyed. To date, 109 small arms and light weapons as well as over 6,800 rounds of small arms ammunition has been destroyed.