Kampala — THE Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) has issued new guidelines for the disarmament exercise to check social unrest.

Since 2001, the army has concentrated on recovering illegal firearms acquired during the different regimes.

The army has to date recovered about 27,000 guns.

The two-page document has been circulated to all military personnel of the division tasked with the disarmament.

"Bearing in mind that these guns will not be handed to us voluntarily by the armed persons and considering that at some stage minimum force will inevitably be applied."

"You are expected to verify with the army authority before any action is taken," the new guidelines read.

The UPDF's 3rd Division operations and training officer and also mission overseer, Lt. Col. Paul Loketch, cautioned his team against hurting innocent people.

"Care must be taken to ensure that the exercise does not create social disruption and officers must make an effort to have a friendly coordinated exercise through winning the hearts of the communities," Loketch said.

Loketch said the released guidelines work alongside the standing army order principles already in place and that offenders will be punished.