"The ultimatum was put back by 24 hours so that everything could be properly understood," Colonel Gerard Dubois, spokesman for the French-led EU force that imposed the deadline told reporters.

"It is better to clarify things before declaring Bunia a town without arms than to to sort matters out after the start of the operation," he said.

The extension was granted during a meeting earlier in the day between Thomas Lubanga, the leader of the faction controlling the town, and senior officers from the EU force.

Dubois did not clarify exactly what would be discussed at another meeting scheduled for Wednesday morning, but said the issue of the exact size of Lubanga's security contingent, which is exempt from the no-guns rule, had not been settled.

The deadline extension did not greatly effect the force's activities, which are focussed on ensuring the free movement of Bunia's residents, hundreds of whom died in fierce inter-ethnic clashes last month.

Reports of an attempted incursion by armed groups opposed to Lubanga's Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) prompted both his men and those of the EU force to go into action.

According to Dubois, the incident prompted French troops to fire a single warning shot and led the force to formally remind the UPC to move their gunmen outside of the town.

In recent days, Lubanga had repeatedly stressed he had already withdrawn most of his fighters from Bunia on his own initiative.

The demilitarisation of Bunia is a key provision of various formal engagements made by most of the armed groups active in the area.

The process is not a full-scale disarmament operation and the only weapons the EU force says it will confiscate are those found on the streets.

Dubois has repeatedly stressed the force has no plans and lacks the manpower to conduct exhaustive house to house searches.

On Monday evening, Lubanga complained that the force had failed to take control of several key access points to the town previously held by his men, "which could be used by outside forces to spread devastation."

In some outlying areas of town, the departure of UPC fighters, many of whom have not yet reached adulthood, prompted many residents to leave their homes, either following the withdrawing gunmen or moving towards the city centre.

The rebel leader added that despite this complaint, "we will not go back on our undertakings."

According to Dubois, French patrols were later deployed to secure the areas vacated by the UPC.

The force has not disclosed exactly how weapons would be confiscated from any recalcitrant gunmen, insisting only that its soldiers would be vigorous in enforcing the rule.

The precise geophrapical limits of the ban were conveyed to Lubanga on Tuesday, but were not released to the press.

Force patrols have on several occasions dealt sternly with armed men who dared defy French troops, on one occasion shooting dead two youths when the pair pointed their weapons in the direction of the troops.

The force had two minor encounters Monday, one in the morning when a shot was fired at its airport base and a second that led to the disarmament of three men whom Dubois said had acted in a "hostile manner."

WAR.WIRE