The first group of international arms monitors has arrived in Nepal, as part of a peace deal between Maoist guerrillas and the government.
The top U.N. envoy in the region, Ian Martin, said Friday six monitors arrived in Kathmandu Thursday. He said they will be part of a team of about 35 monitors who are scheduled to arrive later.
He said their first task will be registering weapons and, later, combatants.
Under a recent peace deal with the government, Nepal's rebels are to form part of an interim government and take part in elections set for next year.
The peace deal also calls on rebel fighters to lay down their weapons and enter camps that are supervised by the United Nations.