ZHARAY DISTRICT, KANDAHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Police officers with
the Afghan Local Police in two villages in central Zharay district are
coming forward in increasing numbers to turn in weapons components and
improvised explosive devices to coalition forces.
A local police officer from the village of Rustum Aka alerted
Soldiers from Combined Task Force Spartan's 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry
Regiment, to a cache site, Feb. 14, where an 82mm recoilless rifle was
hidden. He told the Soldiers that he would seize the weapon if they
would provide overwatch through attack helicopters or other aerial
reconnaissance assets. The Soldiers agreed, and the police officer was
quick to recover the weapon.
The commander of coalition forces in the area, Capt. Moises
Jimenez, said the weapon was heavily wrapped in clothing and rubber
material, indicating that insurgents were planning to hide the weapon
outside, even during the winter months. An Explosive Ordnance Disposal
team on scene said the weapon appeared to be in excellent condition and
fully operational.
Capt. Jimenez said the police officer's willingness to turn in
the recoilless rifle is a sign of growing trust between the village
security forces and their Afghan and coalition security forces'
partners.
"The existing relationships between [Afghan Local Police] and
Attack Company leadership has emboldened local police volunteers to
actively pursue historic insurgent weapons systems and caches," said
Jimenez.
The next day, Feb. 15, another Afghan Local Policeman in Nalgham
turned in a medium-sized IED that was filled with homemade explosive
material, and rigged to explode using a command wire detonation system.
The IED was detonated by an EOD team under controlled circumstances.
Afghan Local Police officers in Nalgham are becoming
increasingly more active in finding IEDs with an aggressive counter-IED
campaign. More than 200 IEDs have been turned in throughout central
Zharay district since September.