"The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which last year emerged from five years of armed conflict has 300,000 recognised combatants," said Azarias Ruberwa, one of four government vice presidents, adding that "200,000 fighters must be demobilised."

A peace pact enacted by Congolese President Joseph Kabila in April last year formally ended a five-year war in DRC that claimed some 2.5 million lives, both in combat and through disease and hunger.

Ruberwa was speaking to journalists at the official launch of the DDR programme for disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration in the country.

He said the future national DRC army would be made up of about 80,000 to 100,000 men, and said that children under 18 and disabled soldiers would not be part of it.

The DDR plan has the backing of international organisations such as the World Bank and the European Union.

Ruberwa called on all those involved in the transitional phase in DRC to support the programme in order to "end the murderous upheaval" the country has experienced in the past several years.

WAR.WIRE