Explosive devices discovered in Afghanistan's Kapisa province

Kabul, Sep 7 (IANS) A number of explosive devices, including an anti-tank mine, have been discovered in Afghanistan's eastern Kapisa province, the provincial police said on Sunday.

The munitions, which included an anti-tank mine and six hand grenades, were discovered in an abandoned house in a village outside the provincial capital Mahmud-e-Raqi, provincial police spokesman Abdul Fatah Faez said, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Efforts are underway to identify and arrest those responsible for keeping the weaponry illegally, the official further said.

On August 26, a provincial police office in a news release said that the counter-terrorism police had discovered arms and ammunition during a series of operations in the Kapisa province.

The weaponry, according to the news release, includes seven AK-47 assault rifles, pistols, projectiles and hundreds of bullets, which have been discovered from individuals who kept them illegally.

Without providing further details, the news release warned that no one has the right to possess or carry arms unlawfully.

A few days back, police discovered and seized arms and ammunition, including three anti-aircraft guns, in the southern Uruzgan province.

On August 22, provincial police spokesman Mullah Ezatullah Haqqani said police in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province had seized a cache of arms and ammunition during a recent operation.

The discovery, which included 14 pistols and a dozen gun magazines, was made in Musa Qala district, where security forces also arrested two individuals suspected of involvement in the case, according to the official.

Helmand, one of Afghanistan's largest provinces, has long been a hotspot of insecurity and armed activities. Local authorities have intensified operations in recent months to crack down on the illegal possession of weapons and to bolster public safety.

The Afghan interim government has repeatedly pledged to collect unauthorised arms across the country as part of efforts to stabilise security and prevent criminal activities.

--IANS

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