Libya's ex-rebels arrive in Jordan for training

AMMAN (AFP) - The first batch of 10,000 former Libyan rebels arrived on Wednesday in Jordan for training in order integrate into their country's interior ministry, the kingdom's security department said.

Under a deal signed between Amman and Tripoli in December, the former rebels who helped topple Moamer Kadhafi's regime last year will receive training at an international police centre east of Amman, deputy police chief Major-General Mohammad Raqqad said in a statement.

"They will receive training in all fields related to police work to help them carry out their security duties in Libya," he said.

According to the agreement, an initial batch of 1,000 former rebels were scheduled to start their training from March 1, with the following batches comprising 2,000 former fighters each.

Jordan has trained tens of thousands of Iraqi, Palestinian and Afghani police officers.

Since the fall of Khadhafi, concerns over the proliferation of weapons coupled with periodic deadly clashes between militias have put pressure on the government to re-integrate more than 200,000 former rebels into society.

Libya's interior ministry has announced plans to integrate the ex-rebels in various security services.

Omar al-Khadrawi, the deputy interior minister, said on Tuesday that 70,000 ex-fighters were now under the ministry's command.