IICD confirms ‘major decommissioning’ by UVF

The decommissioning body led by General John de Chastelain has confirmed that the UVF has disarmed.

The loyalist paramilitary group said over the weekend that it had put all of its weapons and explosives beyond use in a process witnessed by international observers.

General de Chastelain's decommissioning body (the IICD) confirmed in the early hours of this morning that it had witnessed a "major decommissioning event" by the UVF and the Red Hand Commando, an associated paramilitary group.

The quantity of material destroyed has not been disclosed, but the IICD says it included arms, ammunition, explosives and explosive devices.

On Saturday, the IICD also confirmed that the UDA had begun the process of decommissioning its weapons.

The latest developments have been widely welcomed as a major step on the road to the normalisation of society in the North.