Nepal's former Maoist rebels have begun leaving camps that were established at the end of the country's civil war in 2006.

The first of some 19,000 former rebels were released Friday from seven camps across Nepal as part of a peace deal struck last year between the country's major political parties.

Under the agreement some 6,500 of the former communist fighters will be integrated into the national army. The rest will receive payments of up to $11,500.

They have been staying in camps that were monitored by the United nations until government monitors took over in 2011.

Maoist rebels were allowed to join Nepal's government after a 2006 peace deal that ended their decades-long insurgency. The civil war claimed more than 13,000 lives.

Maoists now have the most seats in the Constituent Assembly, which was established after Nepal's monarchy was abolished in 2008.