Mogadishu, 3 May 2007 - Four major business companies based in the capital Mogadishu have surrendered their arms to the Somali transitional government as huge ceremony for the occasion was held at Mogadishu police center Thursday.

At least 151 Mogadishu based business firms have been registered for the weapons surrender. The head of Somali national police force, Abdi Qeybdid, and the African Union UPDF officers were among many Ethiopian and Somali officers who received the largest number of arms surrendered to the transitional government ever since it moved to the capital on January.

During the occasion, Qeybded commended the businessmen for being vanguard for the other heavily armed firms in Mogadishu. The business companies have had the largest number of armed militias and the largest number of heavy weaponries, trying to protect their properties and wealthy business.

Among the companies that gave up their arms were Hormoud tel-com. Telcom, Dahabshil and Amal, two telecommunication firms and two money wiring companies. These companies have also given up number of pickup trucks mounted with anti-aircraft guns

"This is an important step forward and we do hope that many Mogadishu trade firms will follow," Qeybdid told journalists.

The Ugandan troops were soon busy loading clusters of AK47 guns into their pickup military trucks.

The Ugandans have lately been roaming through out the neighborhoods where fighting between government troops backed by the Ethiopian forces and Islamic insurgents took place.

The government promised it would position forces at Bakara Market and business centers around it.

Source: SMN