Asia-Pacific

30 tons of arms, ammunition discovered in Afghan

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-01-14 15:52

KABUL: More than 30 tons of arms and ammunition were discovered during an operation in the northeast Badakhshan province of Afghanistan, spokesman for provincial administration Abdul Maroof Rasikh said Thursday.

"The operation which was launched Tuesday lasted one day and covered two villages in Wardoch district. It led to the discovery and seizure of more than 30 tons of arms and ammunition," Rasikh told Xinhua.

The ordnance seized during the operation includes 1,117 mortar shells, 54 pieces of anti-personal mines, 20 shells of rocket- propelled grenades and dozens of boxes of bullets, the official added.

It is the second such operation in the same district over the past 10 days. In the previous operation early this month, a huge weapon cache was discovered from the area.

No one has been detained during the operation, he added.

He also added that similar operations would be launched in other districts of the province to ensure lasting peace.

Afghan government has been striving to collect arms from illegal armed men and groups across the militancy-ridden country as part of the efforts to strengthen peace.