Coalition Recovers Weapons Caches in Afghanistan; Makeshift Bomb Found

WASHINGTON, Aug. 25, 2006 – Coalition forces recovered three weapons caches Aug. 23 while searching three compounds in Afghanistan's Paktika province, U.S. military officials reported. The caches consisted of rifles, a machine gun and ammunition, rocket-propelled grenade ammunition, a mine detector and a Taliban banner and literature.

Serviceable equipment will be turned over to the Afghan security forces for their use, and an explosive ordnance disposal team will deal with the unserviceable equipment, officials said. Marijuana also was found in one of the compounds.

"The weapons found in Paktika will no longer be a threat to the lives of Afghan civilians," said Army Colonel Thomas Collins, Combined Forces Command Afghanistan spokesman. "We will continue working alongside Afghan security forces to remove these types of deadly weapons wherever we find them to better ensure a peaceful future for the Afghan people."

In other news from Afghanistan, Afghan National Police discovered and disarmed a makeshift bomb in Kunar province on Aug. 23. The police secured the site to protect civilians, and a coalition explosives ordnance disposal detachment from Asadabad disarmed the device.

"Getting this improvised explosive device out of the hands of extremists improves the safety and security for all Afghans," said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Paul Fitzpatrick, Combined Joint Task Force 76 spokesman. "Now this weapon cannot be used against Afghan and Coalition forces or turned against innocent civilians as an intimidation tactic."