Warlords in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, have begun surrendering their weapons, in an effort to restore stability in the city and ease the return of the country's transitional government, currently in exile in Kenya.
Hundreds of warlords who spent more than a decade fighting each other are disarming in camps outside Mogadishu.
The African Union and the United States have said such a move is essential to restoring stability and eventually paving the way for the return of Somalia's first central government in 14 years.
Last week, Somali lawmakers were locked in a dispute over moving to Mogadishu. Some lawmakers feel the capital city is still too unsafe, and they want to move to other, less violent parts of Somalia or stay in Nairobi.
Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
