(Rapaport…August 10, 2001) In an August 9 meeting, the UN Security Council lauded the progress of the disarmament process in Sierra Leone but said more advancement was needed before credible elections could be held. The Council agreed that government authority, including increased police presence, must be extended before reaching acceptable balloting conditions.
More than 13,000 combatants have been disarmed since the process began on May 18. Since then, the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) has released more than 1,100 children.