Côte d’Ivoire President Laurent Gbagbo arrived in the rebel headquarters and second city of Bouake on Monday for the first time since civil war split the country in two nearly five years ago. Gbagbo met former rebel chief Guillaume Soro, whom he appointed prime minister in April under the latest plan to reunite the country.

Burning a small pile of rusty rifles and machine guns, militias that backed the government in Côte d’Ivoire’s 2002 to 2003 civil war completed their disarmament on Saturday, taking the country one step closer to reunification.The civilian combatants fought in some of the fiercest battles of the conflict.

Côte d’Ivoire on Tuesday released three customs officials held over a toxic-waste scandal, ending a customs strike that briefly halted registration of cocoa exports days ahead of a new crop, officials said. ”The strike has been lifted. We have gone back to work. We have been informed that they have been released,” a customs official told Reuters.