(Rapaport…January 7, 2002) The disarmament process in Sierra Leone came to an official close on January 5 as 46,511 combatants laid down their arms nationwide. Hundreds of fighters have still yet to hand in arms, because the staff was overwhelmed by the turnout. Combatants can still participate in the disarmament process, officials noted, past the official deadline date. Among the arms turned in by fighters were mortal shells, rockets, minus, hand grenades and stinger missiles.
Also on January 5, five Zambian peacekeepers were killed, and 13 others wounded, when a box of mortar shells they were transporting to a UN arms storage center in Tongo Field accidentally exploded.