BANDA ACEH, Indonesia, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- One of Asia's longest-running civil wars came a step closer to ending Monday with Aceh rebels handing over more weapons, as called for by a peace pact.
Both rebels and government forces worked towards reducing tension since signing an agreement last August in Helsinki, after large parts of the island were devastated by the Dec. 26 tsunami, which claimed the lives of about 170,000 Acehnese.
During the three-decade war more than 15,000 people lost their lives, many of them civilians.
A foreign monitor said rebels from the Free Aceh Movement -- known as GAM -- had given up the final 35 weapons on Monday, meaning 840 arms had now been surrendered, reported the BBC.
In return, the last of the Indonesia's military and security forces in the province are to be withdrawn.
