The UN Security Council, lauding the Liberian government for the progress it made in rebuilding its country, voted unanimously Thursday to exempt it from an arms embargo in force since 2003.
Resolution 1903 extended for another year the arms embargo for "all non-governmental entities and individuals operating in the territory of Liberia," but lifted it for the sale of weapons to the Liberian government.
The 15-member body also extended for another year a travel ban and assets freeze targeting some associates of Liberian ex-president Charles Taylor and former senior government officials.
Taylor has been on trial in The Hague since January 2008 on 11 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity stemming from the brutal 1991-2001 civil war in neighboring Sierra Leone, whose rebel Revolutionary United Front (RUF) he is accused of arming in exchange for so-called "blood diamonds".
The RUF is blamed for the mutilation of thousands of civilians who had limbs severed in one of the most brutal wars in modern history, which claimed some 120,000 lives.
Liberia is still struggling to recover from 14 years of civil war that ended six years ago after more than 250,000 people were killed.
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