Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

The United Nations Security Council has voted unanimously to ease an embargo on weapons sales to Liberia.

Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf had asked the Council to partially lift the ban, so that her government can arm its security forces and maintain order.

The embargo was imposed in 1992 and tightened in 2001 during the west African country's bloody civil war.

U.N. embargoes on Liberian timber and diamond exports were not affected by Tuesday's vote.

Mrs. Sirleaf also has asked the Security Council to lift those embargoes so her government can earn much-needed cash as it tries to rebuild the country devastated by 14 years of war.

Former Liberian President Charles Taylor fueled much of the conflict in the region by trading timber and diamonds for arms.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.