Huge arms find in Balkh

Security forces have recovered a huge quantity of arms and ammunition in the Charkan district of the northern province of Balkh. A senior provincial official, who did not want to be named, said the munitions belonged to a former local militia commander who had recently joined the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration programme. A large number of former commanders in virtually all parts of the country still hold unlicensed arms which pose a threat to peace and security. The Afghan defence ministry recently disclosed that large numbers of people hold weapons despite the government’s intensive efforts to purge society of illegal arms.