The surface-to-air missiles were destroyed at an army installation 40 miles (70 kilometers) northwest of Managua, according to the defense ministry.

So far this year, the Nicaraguan armed forces have destroyed about 1,000 of the 2,174 portable missiles it had in its arsenal.

Authorities in the central American country initially indicated they expected Washington to compensate them for the destruction of the weapons, but President Enrique Bolanos dropped the demand earlier this month.

Washington had requested Nicaragua to destroy the shoulder-launched weapons saying it no longer needed them but that they could fall in the hands of terrorists.

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