ZHARAY DISTRICT, KANDAHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan -Local villagers in the
Zharay District have recently become more involved in the security of
their own areas.  Soldiers in Attack Company, 1st Battalion, 32nd
Infantry Regiment have actively promoted an incentive initiative in the
Zharay District, which provides a reward to locals that helps increase
safety in the District by turning in weapons, Improvised Explosive
Devices and providing information on insurgent activities.
    A local man discovered an Improvised Explosive Device Jan. 4,
which consisted of a five gallon jug of homemade explosives attached to
a pressure plate. He stated that he found the IED in the road near his
home. A few hours later, a local Nalgham villager approached Soldiers to
turn in a 20 liter jug of HME that he had discovered near his home.
Later that day, a village elder from the village of Siab Jan brought a
bag of 14 pressure plates to the Soldiers of Attack Company. He said
that he found the IED making materials in Haji Noor Udin Village.
    The same day, at a check point manned by Soldiers in Attack
Company, two local men brought a recently discovered cache to the
troops, saying the items were buried south of a nearby Afghan National
Army checkpoint. The cache consisted of nine PMN mines, 20 82mm
recoilless rifle rounds, four black electronic boxes with wires,
assorted load bearing vests, a Degtyaryova-Shpagina Krupnokaliberny
heavy machine gun barrel, a DShK tripod and other DShK weapons parts.
They also turned in a complete IED.