British marines stormed a compound in an Afghan village, capturing several men and a massive cache of weapons believed to belong to al Qaeda or the Taliban.
The Marines said today the weapons cache was one of the biggest found by troops who have been scouring southeastern Afghanistan near the Pakistani border.
"In the last room, there was a curtain. When I pulled it back ... it was stacked up to the roof with weapons and ammunition," Sgt Buck Ryan said.
The cache was found yesterday by a patrol in the village of Surwipan after suspicions were aroused by a large antenna array on the roof of a house.
When the marines approached the compound, a man peeking out the door suddenly slammed it shut. The marines heard shouting and commotion from inside, so the troops broke in through the stone wall, Sgt Ryan said.
The men inside, some of them wearing military fatigues, surrendered without resistance - though the marines found Kalashnikov assault rifles hidden under benches and ready to fire close at hand. The men destroyed two radios before the marines got in.
The specific number of men detained was not disclosed with the marines saying more than 10 were captured.
Rockets, ammunition, large mortar rounds and 65,000 rounds of small arms ammunition were discovered. Rocket launchers, several anti-aircraft machine guns and several large mortar launchers were also recovered.
There were also several boxes of plastic explosives, as well as timers, detonation cord and other equipment for making bombs and booby traps, said Sgt Colin Hill.
The arms "may belong to the al Qaida or Taliban," said Major Richard Stephens. The stash was far beyond the weaponry that villages often have for their defence, he said.
AP