Kabul, Jan 3 (IANS): Afghan security forces have discovered a vast quantity of arms and ammunition in Kunar and Nuristan provinces, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

The weaponry, which includes 49 Kalashnikovs, four rocket launchers, 29 rocket-propelled grenades, 66 hand grenades, a large number of cartridges and bullets, and other illegally preserved military equipment, have been seized during a series of operations in different districts of the said provinces, the statement added.

The statement offered no further information regarding the timing of the seizure of the confiscated weapons and ammunition, nor did it confirm whether any arrests had been made in connection with the case.

On November 3, 2024, security personnel in Afghanistan seized a large amount of weapons and ammunition in the eastern Khost province, the provincial police office said in a statement.

The contraband, which included Kalashnikovs, rocket launchers, PK machine guns, grenades, and a substantial amount of ammunition, was discovered during a series of operations across the province, according to the statement.

The statement did not provide information about when the confiscated weapons and ammunition had been discovered. Six individuals were arrested on charges of possessing illegal weapons and military equipment.

Similarly, on August 20, 2023, Afghan security forces seized a large amount of arms and ammunition in Parwan Province, located in eastern Afghanistan, an official reported.

According to provincial administration spokesperson Sayed Hikmatullah Shamim, during operations in the Jabal Saraj district of the province, 140 rounds of BM1 bullets, six boxes of M24, thousands of bullets, explosive devices, and other illegally possessed ammunition were found and seized by the security forces.

In a similar crackdown, weapons caches had been discovered in Wardak Province.

Since assuming power in August 2021, the Afghan caretaker government has rounded up thousands of arms and a significant quantity of ammunition as part of efforts to stabilise the security situation across the war-torn country.