Taliban Access Weapons Caches Intact From Soviet Invasion

 

January 26, 2010 (Hamsayeh.Net) - Reports from war-torn Afghanistan disclose NATO is planning to conduct a major offensive against forces in the southern Helmand Province close to Kandahar which is under Taliban control.

 

British Army Major General Nick Carter said the proposed invasion by the NATO would aim at controlling the entire Helmand and it will be a large offensive taking as much territories as possible. The official did not mention the exact timing for the offensive but said the decision has been made and NATO is studying the situation on the ground before launching the military offensive.

 

NATO and US forces are trying to sow division amongst Taliban’s various factions by offering to buy-out those who would give up their arms and join a so-called democratic process in Afghanistan. The British official said before a buy-out takes place NATO must try to take control of the Helmand to enable the coalition to negotiate from a position of strength over the Taliban.

 

Also new reports indicate that Taliban is purchasing mainly Russian made weapons from former warlords in the northern parts of Afghanistan. There are currently many weapons caches in the northern province of Badakhshan from the period of Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Private contractors sell these weapons to Taliban and according to local traders a Russian Kalashnikov could go for 250 to 350 euros, a PK machine gun for 1,300 euros and a rocket launcher worth 1,800 euros.