Afghan police confiscate weapons, ammunition cache, arrest suspects

KABUL, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Police of counter-terrorism have discovered and confiscated a cache of armaments and ammunition in eastern Afghanistan's Khost province, the Ministry of Interior Affairs said in a statement on Wednesday.

The seizure, including two rocket launchers, 15 hand grenades, 1,100 rounds of PK machine-gun, two boxes of assorted ammunition, 24 rocket rounds, and 24 rocket propellant charges, occurred during a series of counter-terrorism operations in the province's Zazi Maidan district, the statement said.

Three suspects were arrested in connection with the confiscation and will be referred to judicial authorities following preliminary investigations.

In a separate operation on Tuesday, police uncovered additional arms and ammunition in neighboring Paktika province as part of ongoing efforts to curb unauthorized weapons.

Over the past four years, Afghan authorities have seized thousands of weapons and large quantities of ammunition in a nationwide drive to enhance security and stability in the war-ravaged country. ■