Release #2006-001
Kabul, Afghanistan - On 05 January, US troops from ISAF's Provincial Reconstruction Team in Farah destroyed a cache of hundreds of mortars, mines and other ammunition, recovered with the assistance of local police, from the Lash-a-Juwain District Police Compound of the Western Region Province.
The cache was recovered after the PRT civil affairs team and troops cooperated with the local police during an overnight patrol on 03 January and consisted of the following:
- 10 anti-personnel mines
- 74 rockets and rocket propelled grenades
- 360 mortar rounds with fuses
- 45 recoilless rifles
- 108 tube-launched grenades
- 8,064 small arms ammunition rounds
The PRT organised to destroy the cache at a safe location nearby using ISAF explosives experts, completing the operation in the afternoon of 05 January.
This success is the latest in a series of large hauls in the Western Region Province; most recently, on 28 December 2005, the PRT assisted in removing, from the Farah City Police Headquarters and the destruction of, a cache of 570 mortar rounds, 42 explosive anti-tank rounds for recoilless rifle, 4 anti-tank land mines, a recoilless rifle and 73 fuses.
The recovery and destruction of unauthorised weapons, ammunition caches and other explosive remnants of war, is essential for the long-term security of Afghanistan. ISAF will continue to support the national security forces in this process and is glad to receive the full cooperation of the Afghan people.
The United States provides the lead for, and has around 100 troops serving with, ISAF's Provincial Reconstruction Team in Farah. Its 150-man contribution to the NATO-led mission is due to increase in 2006 when ISAF expands its Afghanistan security assistance mission into the South of the country.