NIAMEY, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- A total of 369 former combatants who renounced violence have been reintegrated into social and professional life during a ceremony held Monday at the Hamdallaye Reception and Rehabilitation Center in western Niger.
Among them were 307 men, 21 women and 41 children. At the end of the ceremony, they received income-generating kits to help support their return to civilian life.
The event, organized by the Ministry of the Interior, is part of Niger's disarmament, demobilization and reintegration policy aimed at assisting individuals formerly affiliated with armed groups.
This ceremony is a concrete demonstration of the commitment to give those who have chosen to lay down their arms a second chance and to support them in achieving a dignified and sustainable reintegration into society, said Maina Boukar, governor of the Tillabery region, who presided over the event.
"This courageous choice not only demonstrates Niger's political will to preserve its strategic independence but also underscores its determination to ensure security and peace throughout the country without relying on external agendas," he added. ■
