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Global General

85 illegal weapons seized in Afghanistan

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-12-23 20:36

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KABUL: The Afghan authorities have recovered 85 rifles and ammunition from the Taliban and other insurgent groups over the past several months.

The country's interior ministry here on Wednesday handed over the seized arms to the defense ministry.

Maj. Abdul Waheed, an official with the defense ministry, told Xinhua at the hand-over ceremony that security forces and police personnel captured the illegal weapons during operations conducted in various parts of the nation.

Some of the weapons were abandoned by the militants after hostile engagement with the law enforcement teams, said the officer.

The seized weapons and ammunition are normally handed in to the interior ministry, which is in charge of the security and police forces.

The interior ministry then transfer the contraband to the defense ministry for checking and registration, said Waheed, adding that the defense ministry has set up a workshop with a 1, 200-strong workforce in Kabul to deal with the illegal weaponry.

After checking and registration, the weapons are to be used by security, police forces and licensed private security firms, said the officer.