MOGADISHU, Jan 19: Dozens of armoured vehicles and mortars have been handed over by Somali warlords to the Ethiopian-backed government under an accord reached earlier this month, officials said on Friday.

Officials said most of the main warlords had handed in weaponry, much of which was grabbed after the government of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre was toppled in 1991, but a large amount was still unaccounted for.

Some of the vast arsenal also still remains in the hands of civilians and freelance gunmen as well as clerics.

“The warlords have returned 70 armoured vehicles (technicals), about 120 mortar launchers, a tank and other armoured vehicles,” said a government spokesman.

“We have begun at a steady pace and people are pleased with the government’s work towards the disarmament,” Abdirahman Dinari said.

“This is the first stage of disarmament and (other) clans are also ready to return all of theirs. We have received a lot of commitments from them that they will doing so,” he added.—AFP