U.S. Weapons, The Problem Of Afghan Police

MEP: Ministry of Interior this year decided to equip Afghan police, especially the capital police with American weapons and ban the Russian weapons, including Kalashnikov.

Afghan police and those who dealt with weapons and war years onwards are familiar with Kalashnikov and know how to use it well, but a change in the type of weapons at a time when the country is still at war, needs for training and more time.

After a while of the decision of the Ministry of Interior, the Kalashnikov is less common among Afghan police and security guards of the Ministry also use American weapons including (M-16).

When the new American weapons by the Ministry were given to police but Ministry officials have repeatedly complained of curtailment of these weapons at the time of use.

Interestingly, the non-use of US M-16 weapons was on the armed Taliban attacks in police district of sixth in capital Kabul on Wednesday (March 1).

A number of sources in the Sixth Police District have said that a number of (M-16) weapons that were in the hands of guards, had stopped working at the time of firing towards the attackers.

According to them, cessation of M-16 weapons was one of the factors that the soldiers were unable to prevent attackers from entering the institution.

If the statements are true and on the other hand, the Interior Ministry also complained of these weapons, a serious need is required to review this issue by the government leaders and security organs must have a basic program in relation to the police weapons.

But if the statements are not true, it will be proved the officials are trying to put the blame on others.

However, Atiqulla Amarkheil, a military expert told the Middle East Press, “discontinuity of M-16 weapons have repeatedly came under complains, but we cannot explicitly say that this has happened in the Sixth Police District.”

“The issue needs to be investigated, but at the time of attack that was an official day; many soldiers were in the area that had different weapons than M-16 but they may have interrupted a number of weapons” he said.

Currently part of the Ministry of Interior organs are using Kalashnikov but interruption cannot be labeled as excuse.

The report comes as on Wednesday about four suicide bombers entered the building of Sixth Police District of Kabul and started clashing with security forces. As a result, 32 people had been killed and more than 100 others wounded.

The attacks occurred when one of the suicide attackers had initially blew his explosives near the entrance of the building.

The armed Taliban claimed responsibility for the blasts.