15 March 2006

Record arms cache seized in Afghanistan News Biggest ever cache of weapons seized - ISAF Background NATO in Afghanistan The largest cache of illegal weapons ever found in Afghanistan has been handed over to the government this week as part of a programme to disarm illegally armed groups. The handover in Sheberghan, northern Afghanistan , was negotiated by the Government of Afghanistan and the Afghan New Beginnings Programme, with the assistance of NATO-led forces. A deadly haul NATO experts have assessed the contents of the cache and initial findings suggest that it includes over 80 tons of explosives, 15,000 anti-personnel and 10,000 anti-tank mines, as well as arms and munitions. This makes it the largest haul of illegal arms to date and a significant step forward in the Government’s efforts to disarm the estimated 120,000 illegally armed persons in the country. In June 2005, the Government of Afghanistan launched a Disbanding Illegal Armed Groups (DIAG) programme. It builds on the success of the UN-supported Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Programme. Launched in 2003 and completed in 2005, it saw the reintegration of over 61,000 former combatants. The new programme focuses on persons who did not or do not belong to any formal military forces, but still carry illegal arms. The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan (ISAF) is assisting the Afghan authorities with support, logistics, expert analysis and explosive ordnance disposal.