Weapons collection initiative planned for September 16

An initiative to collect weapons is being organized by the Armed Forces, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs and various civil society organizations, Libyan Herald News reports today. It is sponsored by Libya Alhurra TV. A festival-like event is to take place on Sunday, during which, medium to heavy weapons are expected to be handed in. The venues will be Martyrs Square in Tripoli and Freedom Square in Benghazi. Collected weapons will be handover to the Special Forces in Benghazi and in Tripoli to a sub-committee of the armed forces. This is not the first time that action against guns has been taken in the eastern city of Benghazi. In April, a large demonstration in the city pleaded for militias and young men to lay their weapons down and in late July, Benghazi residents voluntarily surrendered weapons following an appeal from security forces. However, it was reported that compensation by the Libyan Armed Forces was offered. The initiative is planned on a national scale but will start in Libya's capital and second largest city first.