HERAT, Afghanistan (Mar. 29) – A considerable explosive and ammunition cache found near Shindand, 100 miles south of Herat - home of the Command of Regional Command West based Brigade "Sassari", at the end of a relevant operation carried out by Italian soldiers of Task Force Center (based 1st Regiment bersaglieri) at dawn yesterday.
The delicate operation, authorized directly by the Commander of Regional Command West - Brigadier General Alessandro VELTRI - and launched a few days ago to prevent and combat possible subversive activities of the insurgents, is taken as a result of some information about the possible presence of explosive and weapons hidden in the area of Shindand, ready for use, probably against the civilian population, the local security forces and ISAF.
The activity, coordinated by the Commander of Task Force Center - Colonel Francesco Maria CERAVOLO - and conducted in close cooperation with Afghan military authorities, has seen the deployment of several observation posts and joint quick reaction units for control of the area until, after several days of waiting, the bersaglieri of the Task Force Center noted suspicious movements in an area close to the uninhabited hills outside town.
After the launch of an illuminating mortar bomb for a more accurate visual inspection of the area, the unit was subject to a firearm shots, without any consequence for the Italian military, by three men, presumably on place to retrieve the cache.
The bersaglieri of the Task Force Center, ascertained the absence of civilians, replyed to the threat with the use of mortar fire and small arms, forcing the insurgents to abandon their position and vanished into the hills.
Meanwhile, from the forward operational base in Shindand, arrived a joint quick reaction units composed by Afghan and Italian soldiers that – having put in security the area - enabled unit involved in the clash to get away and return to base.
With the quick reaction unit, went on-site a specialized team IEDD (Improvised Explosive Devices Disposal) and a dog unit MDD (Mine Detection Dog) specializes in finding explosives, both belonging to the Task Force “Genio” based 5th Regiment of Brigade "Sassari".
After several hours of patrolling the area, concealed in three different hiding places, were discovered 150 kilograms of explosives (including ammonium nitrate), 1 mortar bomb 82mm, 2 artillery shells 75mm, 2 grenades 122mm, 3 anti-tank rockets, 2 hand-grenades, 1 anti-tank shell 122mm and several 7.62 mm bullets.
The cache seized, one of the most significant discovery of recent times occurred in the western region of Afghanistan, was taken and subsequently destroyed by specialized structures IEDD (Improvised Explosive Devices Disposal) of Brigade "Sassari".
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