29 January 2019•Update: 29 January 2019
DAKAR, Senegal
More than 600 militias laid down arms in the southern province of Kasai in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to authorities.
Denis Kambayi, the governor of Kasai, told reporters that they called on Sunday armed groups in the region to lay down arms.
According to Kambayi, with the state’s call to drop arms, at least 600 militias from the Kamuina Nsapu armed group operating in the region came to Kananga, the capital of Kasai province, and surrendered their weapons to the authorities.
"The militias will be able to return to their village after they have been identified and the weapons they surrendered are recorded," Kambayi said.
Authorities expect an increase in the number of militias who lay down arms.
The militants will be enrolled in integration programs run by the government, Kambayi said.
According to authorities, the total number of the Nsapu militias could be around 1,700.
Since August 2016, Kasai region has been hit by Kamuina Nsapu militiamen attacks on the military, police and civilians. This followed the killing of their namesake leader by police.
According to UN, the Kasai crisis has led to the internal displacement of some 1.4 million people who remain in a very precarious situation, another 35,000 people have fled to Angola, about 3.2 million people continue to be severely food insecure, and malnutrition rates, especially for children, are high.
Reporting by Alaattin Dogru:Writing by Zehra Nur Duz
