Afghans taken in weapons cache raid released

Eight Afghans detained by British troops seized a large weapons cache have been released from detention in Afghanistan.

Eight Afghans detained by British troops seized a large weapons cache have been released from detention in Afghanistan.

The men were found in a compound in southeastern Afghanistan which the British Royal Marines broke into.

The troops found hundreds of boxes of ammunition and weapons that they said may have belonged to al-Qaida or the Taliban.

The eight detainees were brought to Bagram air base, the headquarters for US military operations in Afghanistan, for questioning.

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But all were later released, British Colonel Ben Curry said.

Detainees taken in raids are questioned at Bagram to determine if they are connected to al-Qaida or the Taliban. Those found to have no links - usually farmers or other civilians caught in the wrong place at the wrong time - are released and returned home.

The weapons cache found in the village of Surwipan was one of the largest uncovered in southeastern Afghanistan.

The armoury included hundreds of large mortar rounds and rockets, thousands of recoilless rocket rounds and 65,000 rounds of small arms ammunition.

PA