Marines to destroy al-Qaeda weapons

Marines found more than 20 truckloads of ammunition

Royal Marines are planning to blow up four caves in eastern Afghanistan packed with ammunition understood to belong to al-Qaeda or Taleban fighters.

The full extent of the haul found in the rugged mountains of the Paktika province is yet to be established but exceeds 20 truckloads, stacked to the ceiling of the caves.

A range of weapons was uncovered in caves sealed with padlocked metal doors or mesh.

Preparations at the complex for demolition continue and that should be complete some time today

Marine Major Jeff Moulton

The caches were uncovered in mountains where a 1,000-strong force led by the troops from 45 Commando have been hunting for Taleban and al-Qaeda fighters for almost two weeks.

"This is of mixed nature and it includes artillery and mortar rounds, recoil-less rockets, RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades), multi-barrel rockets," said Marine Major Jeff Moulton.

"All these... can be measured by the hundred, and also 12.75 mm and 7.62 mm ammunition.

"Preparations at the complex for demolition continue and that should be complete some time today (Friday)."

He was speaking at Bagram air base, the Afghan headquarters of the 12,000 to 13,000-strong US-led coalition forces.

Casualties

Major Moulton also revealed there had been three casualties among his men in the past 24 hours, none related to battle.

"One is a twisted knee, one is suffering diarrhoea and vomiting and one has altitude-related illnesses," he said.

British troops are working to discover al-Qaeda and Taleban fighters as part of Operation Snipe.

The marines have air assistance

That operation began after several days of secret deployment and preparation and it focuses on an area about 40 miles from the Pakistan border.

It is hoped this could be the last phase of the mission to flush out al-Qaeda members from Afghanistan.

Although there has been no combat yet, the marines are under instructions to "capture or destroy".