Accompanied by UN officials as well as Maoist representatives, they began the task of asking the combatants to be discharged what they would like to do and where they would like to go.

In the first phase, 4,008 PLA personnel would be freed. They include 2,973 child soldiers.

UNMIN, which undertook a headcount of the PLA, found the 4,008 illegal recruits since they were roped in either as minors or after the signing of the peace pact in 2006.

The UN agency, that is monitoring the 28 camps where the PLA has been confined since the peace pact, said it was encouraging that the agreement recognized the importance of compliance with international standards in line with Security Council resolution 1612 (2005) on children and armed conflict, and pledged to following a discharge and rehabilitation process that will allow the disqualified personnel to choose freely between a range of rehabilitation assistance packages in the coming months.

The UN has offered support and assistance for the rehabilitation.