DEFENCE MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by Ministerial Support and Public Affairs, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6127 1999, Fax: 02 62656946
MSPA 249/09
Monday, 19 October 2009
WEAPONS AND MUNITION CACHES SEIZED
Taliban extremists operating against Australian and coalition forces continue to suffer
significant setbacks with the discovery and destruction of two weapon caches by Australian
soldiers in Oruzgan province.
Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), with support from Australian Special Forces and
other coalition troops, have uncovered significant munitions caches including weapons,
ammunition, Improvised Explosive Device (IED) making components, explosives and false
and forged identity cards.
The daylight raids seized weapons and ammunition including assault rifles, a machine gun, a
rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launcher, RPGs, rocket and recoilless rifle warheads, mortar
rounds, hand grenades and nearly 1,000 rounds of small arms ammunition.
The discovery of the high explosives and the destruction of these items by the Special
Operations Task Group will have a direct impact on the ability of Taliban extremists to target
civilians and ISAF personnel in Oruzgan province.
Some items were recovered for further analysis while the majority of ammunition and
explosives were subsequently destroyed.
The operation also seized approximately 300kg of opium resin.
Chief of Joint Operations Command, Lieutenant General Mark Evans, said the cache finds
have continued the disruption of the manufacture of IEDs and use of weapon systems across
the central and northern parts of Oruzgan province.
“It is a significant volume of material to be found in one area and its discovery and
destruction will continue to disrupt the Taliban extremist’s networks,” Lieutenant General
Evans said.
The combined Afghan National Security Force and International Security Assistance Force
(ISAF) operation to clear the large number of compounds took one day.
Lieutenant General Evans said that the removal of explosive material, potential IED
components and munitions would make life safer for all Afghan people in Oruzgan, and for
the coalition troops who are supporting the Afghan National Security Forces.
“This operation highlights the ongoing commitment of Australian forces in Oruzgan to
support the ISAF mission of protecting the population.”
This operation was supported by the ANSF, Coalition Forces and rotary wing assets.
Media note:
Imagery is available at:
Media contact: Defence Media Liaison: 02 6127 1999 or 0408 498 664
NEWS 
