OEF Summary, Feb. 26, 2010: Forces in Afghanistan Find Drugs, Weapons

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26, 2010 -- Afghan and international patrols found three weapons caches in Afghanistan’s Helmand province yesterday.

One cache, found in the Reg-e Khan Neshin district, contained eight rifle rounds, eight assault rifles, ammunition and an ammunition-filled vest.

Two caches were found in the Nad-e Ali district, containing seven illumination rounds, six high-explosive rounds, 80 pounds of ammonium nitrate, 51 pounds of homemade explosives, 100 pounds of shrapnel, and four large home-made bombs. One bomb contained 75 pounds of homemade explosives, the second contained five mortar rounds, and two others contained 10 mortar rounds each.

In operations yesterday:

• A combined force found several caches of weapons and drugs in Daykundi province. The caches contained 1,100 pounds of ammonium nitrate, more than 100 pounds of opium, 2 pounds of pure heroin, a small bag of opium seeds, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, a shotgun, two assault rifles, a bolt-action rifle and a substantial amount of ammunition. The security force arrested one suspected insurgent in the operation.

• In Helmand province, a patrol found a substantial amount of ammonium nitrate in a compound. The patrol was involved in clearing the city in support of Operation Moshtarak when they found 5,500 pounds of the material along with bomb-making components.

(Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command news releases.)