Afghan National Army and International Security Assistance Forces discovered weapons and improved explosive device component caches in southern and eastern Afghanistan during separate clearing operations over the past 24 hours.
During a combined patrol in Zharay district, Kandahar province, forces were engaged by insurgents with small arms fire. After gaining positive identification, forces returned fire dispersing the insurgents, who fled the area leaving a weapons cache on the ground. The cache consisted of one rocket-propelled grenade launcher, nine rocket-propelled grenades, one AK-47 barrel, several small arms rounds, 75 pounds (34 kilograms) of fragmentation pieces and several IED components.
In Kandahar province, Afghan and ISAF discovered two large weapons and IED component caches in Panjwa’i and Kandahar districts. The caches consisted of 56 rocket-propelled grenades, 24 82 mm recoilless rifle rounds, one anti-tank mine, 6,500 12.7 mm rounds, 17 107 mm rockets, one 82 mortar shell, several IED components, nine battery packs, 10 containers of explosives, 14 hand grenades, one 105 mm artillery shell, 30-feet ( 9 meters) of detonation cord, one rocket-propelled grenade launcher, three AK-47s, two radios, five blasting caps, one 40-pound (18 kg) propane tank, two belts of 7.62 mm rounds, six AK-47 magazines and 11 60 mortar rounds.
An Afghan and ISAF patrol discovered in Uruzgan province two weapons caches in Deh Rawud and Chorah districts consisting of three chest racks, one AK-47, 10 AK-47 magazines, 650 7.62 mm rounds and one pressure plate. Afghan forces also detained one suspected insurgent related to the caches.
In Nadir Shah Kot district, Khost province a combined patrol discovered one weapons cache consisting of one rocket-propelled grenade launcher, 14 rocket-propelled grenades, five AK-47s and 1,700 7.62 mm rounds.
Also, in Helmand province, an Afghan Army and ISAF patrol found a weapons cache in Marjeh district which consisted of 250 12.7 mm rounds and eight .50 caliber sniper rifle rounds. In the same area, an Afghan civilian tip led a separate combined force to another weapons cache consisting of one rocket-propelled grenade and 85 12.7 mm rounds.
Weapons from all provinces were taken into custody and will be destroyed.
“We want to thank Afghan civilians who collaborate with Afghan and ISAF to provide tips that lead us to safely remove these lethal devices,” said U.S. Army Col. Rafael Torres, ISAF Joint Command Combined Joint Operations Center director.
Article by ISAF Joint Command