General Libere Hicuburundi of the national demobilisation and rehabilitation (DDR) commission said 1,682 fighters voluntarily had come forward at Muranvya in central Burundi and Randa in the west.

"They have already returned to their native hills," he said in a reference to the topography, largely hills where Hutu and Tutsi communities live mainly in agricultural communities.

Demobilisation is a key element in restoring peace after a decade of civil war that broke in 1993 and claimed more than 300,000 lives in the central African state. A series of peace accords led to the end of the war last year.

General Hicuburundi said "509 children from rebel movements, mainly the FDD, have been demobilised from the Gitega centre" in central Burundi. "There are still 109 child soldiers in the centre, but we hope they'll be home in the coming week."

The demobilisation started four weeks ago after long delays because of logistical hitches and outstanding political issues.

It involves tens of thousands of ex-fighters and is seen by observers as key to peace in Burundi and something that will also help in related conflicts in neighbouring countries.

Those demobilising in the west of Burundi included 1,138 Hutu rebels in the Forces for the Defence of Democracy (FDD) which in November 2003 joined a transitional government and largely ended the war mainly between extremist Hutus and the Tutsis.

The others demobilising included 448 regular soldiers and rebels from five small movements, Hicuburundi said. One small group, the National Liberation Forces, is still fighting around the capital, refusing to join the national peace process.

President Domitien Ndayizeye and Carolyn McAskie, head of a UN mission in Burundi, launched the demobilisation and rehabilitation programme on December 2 at Muranvya, where they each symbolically burned 100 guns.

The total number of fighters and ex-fighters in Burundi was estimated at 70,000: 43,000 in the long mainly Tutsi armed forces and 27,000 Hutu former rebels.

About 20,000 are expected to be demobilised over four years. Eventually a new Burundi army will include 30,000 men and there will be a police force of

The plan will cost around 84.4 million dollars (63.3 million euros), according to the World Bank, which is funding it with the European Union, France and former colonial power Belgium.

Apart from the Bujumbura rural region around the capital, 16 of the country's 17 provinces are now peaceful.

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