The IRA has formally ordered an end to its armed campaign and is to pursue exclusively peaceful political means.
In a long-awaited statement, the republican organisation said it would follow a democratic path ending more than 30 years of violence.
The IRA made its decision after an internal debate prompted by Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams' call to pursue its goals exclusively through politics.
During the NI Troubles, the IRA was blamed for about 1,800 murders.
A statement issued on Thursday said that this would take effect from 1600 BST.
"All IRA units have been ordered to dump arms. All Volunteers have been instructed to assist the development of purely political and democratic programmes through exclusively peaceful means. Volunteers must not engage in any other activities whatsoever.
"The IRA leadership has also authorised our representative to engage with the IICD to complete the process to verifiably put its arms beyond use in a way which will further enhance public confidence and to conclude this as quickly as possible."
The statement said independent witnesses from Catholic and Protestant churches had been invited to see the decommissioning process.
When he made his appeal in April, Mr Adams said it was "a genuine attempt to drive the peace process forward".
Republicans had been under intense pressure to end IRA activity after the £26.5m Northern Bank raid in December and the murder of Belfast man Robert McCartney in January.
Political talks last year failed to restore devolution, which stalled amid claims of IRA intelligence gathering at Parliament Buildings, Stormont, in 2002.
The Provisional IRA's campaign of violence was aimed at forcing an end to the British presence in Northern Ireland, leading to a united Ireland.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/4720863.stm
In a long-awaited statement, the republican organisation said it would follow a democratic path ending more than 30 years of violence.
The IRA made its decision after an internal debate prompted by Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams' call to pursue its goals exclusively through politics.
During the NI Troubles, the IRA was blamed for about 1,800 murders.
A statement issued on Thursday said that this would take effect from 1600 BST.
"All IRA units have been ordered to dump arms. All Volunteers have been instructed to assist the development of purely political and democratic programmes through exclusively peaceful means. Volunteers must not engage in any other activities whatsoever.
"The IRA leadership has also authorised our representative to engage with the IICD to complete the process to verifiably put its arms beyond use in a way which will further enhance public confidence and to conclude this as quickly as possible."
The statement said independent witnesses from Catholic and Protestant churches had been invited to see the decommissioning process.
When he made his appeal in April, Mr Adams said it was "a genuine attempt to drive the peace process forward".
Republicans had been under intense pressure to end IRA activity after the £26.5m Northern Bank raid in December and the murder of Belfast man Robert McCartney in January.
Political talks last year failed to restore devolution, which stalled amid claims of IRA intelligence gathering at Parliament Buildings, Stormont, in 2002.
The Provisional IRA's campaign of violence was aimed at forcing an end to the British presence in Northern Ireland, leading to a united Ireland.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/4720863.stm