MOGADISHU (AFP) - Somalia's government proposed Saturday to "pardon" Islamist militias who have been fighting the authorities for months and release former fighters from jail, officials said.
The cabinet members have discussed today and they have extended olive branch to the former Islamic courts militias, other anti-government militias and the opposition politicians as well," government spokesman Abdi Haji Gobdon told reporters in Mogadishu.
"The former Islamic fighters who are in jail will be released," he said, adding that the pardon would need parliamentary approval.
It is not known how many former fighters are in jail.
Meanwhile, African Union peacekeepers said Saturday they had destroyed about four tonnes of ammunition, mines and grenades discovered during several raids in the Somali capital.
"This is really good step because the ordnances and munitions can only destroy the community so that we have to destroy them before it's too late," said an expert working with the peacekeepers, who asked not to be named.
"These munitions are part of large quantity of explosive things that are used in Mogadishu now and we discovered recently, the destroying process will be continued for the coming days until we finish."
The weapons were put in holes near a military camp, surrounded by barbed wire and then destroyed.
Somalia has been without an effective government since the 1991 ousting of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre, which sparked a bloody power struggle that has defied repeated attempts to restore stability.
Earlier this week, a United Nations-backed peace conference for feuding Somali factions planned for June 14 was put back by a month. It was the third time it has been postponed, due to insecurity and lack of funds.
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