Key Points

Afghan police discovered 200 firearms, including assault rifles and rocket launchers, in Paktia province. The haul follows similar seizures in Samangan and Ghazni, where grenades and machine guns were found. Authorities emphasized a nationwide crackdown on illegal weapons, with 58 arrests made in Helmand. The Taliban-led government continues confiscating arms to curb instability.

Key Points: Afghan Police Seize 200 Firearms in Paktia Province Arms Cache

  • Police seized 97 Kalashnikovs and 7 M16 rifles in Paktia
  • Cache included 86 pistols and 7 rocket launchers
  • Similar operations netted weapons in Samangan and Ghazni
  • 58 suspects arrested in Helmand for illegal arms possession
2 min read

Police discover 200 pieces of firearms in East Afghanistan

Afghan authorities uncover 200 firearms, including Kalashnikovs and rocket launchers, in Paktia province amid nationwide weapons crackdown.

"No one has the right to keep or carry arms illegally – Radio and Television of Afghanistan (RTA)"

Kabul, July 24

Police have discovered some 200 pieces of light and heavy firearms in the eastern Afghanistan Paktia province, reported the state-run Radio and Television of Afghanistan (RTA) on Thursday.

The weaponry, according to the state-owned media outlet, includes 97 pieces of Kalashnikovs, seven pieces of the M16-type assault rifles, 86 stock pistols, seven rocket launchers, and many more types of arms and ammunition.

Without providing more details, the official media outlet citing police added that no one has the right to keep or carry arms illegally.

In similar operations, police reported discovery of arms and ammunition, including an anti-aircraft gun in Afghanistan's northern Samangan province.

On July 17, Afghanistan's security forces discovered a large amount of weapons and military equipment, including 885 hand grenades, in the past four months in eastern Ghazni province, a local official reported.

The contraband, which included 52 various types of arms, 21 AK-27 Kalashnikovs, 21 pistols, two PK machine guns, 885 hand grenades, 15 rocket launchers, 8 mortar shells, and a quantity of war equipment, such as cartridges and bullets, was seized during a series of operations, said Ezatullah Saeedi, provincial government spokesman.

Without giving details on whether anyone was arrested due to involvement in the case, the official added that the weapons and ammunition were uncovered in the capital and districts of the province.

Earlier, police confiscated a huge quantity of arms and ammunition, including 45 pieces of pistols, in southern Helmand province.

The Afghan interim government collected thousands of light and heavy weapons and a huge quantity of ammunition throughout the war-stricken country, Xinhua news agency reported.

In a similar operation on July 13, police discovered a huge quantity of arms and ammunition in Afghanistan's Helmand province, with 58 people arrested, Provincial director for counter-criminal activities Mawlawi Abdul Satar Amin said.

The weaponry, which included 45 pieces of pistols, seven pieces of Kalashnikovs, nine pieces of other types of assault rifles, hundreds of projectiles and other military equipment, was discovered during operations in the provincial capital Lashkar Gah and several districts over the past three months, the official said.

All the collected arms and ammunition were handed over to the concerned authorities recently, the official asserted.

Police have also taken into custody 58 individuals on charges of involvement in criminal activities such as theft, armed robbery, and murder, the official said, adding police won't allow anyone to create law and order problems in the province.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
While it's good they're finding these weapons, I wonder how many more are still out there? The situation in Afghanistan directly impacts regional security. Hope our agencies are monitoring this closely.
A
Aman W
The report mentions "no one has the right to keep arms illegally" but doesn't say who was behind this cache. Without addressing root causes, these seizures are just temporary solutions.
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Sarah B
As someone who lived in Delhi during the 2008 attacks, this news gives me chills. We must support Afghanistan's efforts to control weapons but also protect our borders better. Stay safe everyone!
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Vikram M
The numbers are staggering - 885 grenades?! This shows how volatile the region remains. Our armed forces deserve appreciation for keeping us safe despite such threats at our doorstep.
K
Kavya N
While we focus on Afghanistan, let's not forget illegal arms within India too. Our police need better resources to tackle this menace everywhere. Safety begins at home!

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