Authorities Uncover Extensive Cache of Weapons in Southern Afghanistan
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Kabul, Dec 19 (NationPress) Counter-terrorism police have uncovered a significant stockpile of arms and ammunition over the last three months in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan, as reported by a statement from the provincial police headquarters on Thursday.
The statement revealed that the seized arms and ammunition consist of five Kalashnikov rifles, nine hand grenades, one rocket launcher, three break-action firearms, a US-made M16 assault rifle, a Kalakov gun, as well as hundreds of bullets and cartridges, along with other military equipment that was retained illegally.
While the statement did not provide details regarding any arrests made for the possession of these illegal weapons and ammunition, it noted that the military items were seized during various operations executed by counter-terrorism police on the outskirts of Lashkar Gah city, the provincial capital, and its districts.
Since taking control in August 2021, the Afghan caretaker government has accumulated thousands of arms and ammunition, including battle tanks and artillery, and has pledged to retrieve weapons and ammunition from individuals not affiliated with security forces.
The Afghan counter-terrorism police have been urging citizens to assist in the recovery of arms and ammunition from unauthorized possession. Authorities have been focused on reclaiming and registering arms illegally held by individuals over the past two decades, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
Just last month, security personnel in Afghanistan seized a significant amount of weapons and ammunition in the eastern Khost province.
The confiscated items included Kalashnikovs, rocket launchers, PK machine guns, grenades, and various amounts of ammunition, which were discovered during a series of operations throughout the province, according to a statement from the local government as cited by Xinhua news agency.
Following the seizure of the weapons and ammunition, six individuals were arrested for the possession of illegal military equipment.
