Authorities in Sudan’s North Kordofan State said they had collected more than 10,000 firearms in a voluntary disarmament exercise carried out in the state.

Speaking to the press on Saturday, North Kordofan State Police Commissioner, Al-Hadi Ahmed Al-Dihesh said the exercise was conducted in all state localities with cooperation between the committee in charge of disarmament and local leaders.

Al-Dihesh explained that a forced disarmament exercise will be carried out to track criminals possessing illegal arms despite the state of emergency announced in the area for peace and stability to prevail.

He claimed that the voluntary process has contributed to a decrease in crime rates being carried out by these illegal arms.