Army concerned over weapons of US origin reaching Kashmir

The Army is documenting weapons of American origin which might have reached Kashmir via Afghanistan, a top Army officer in the valley said.

Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai, General Officer Commanding (GoC) of the Army’s strategic Srinagar-based Chinar Corps, told reporters that efforts are being made to pursue the issue with the US to track such weapons. He was responding to a question about the concerns over recovery of US-origin weapons from Afghanistan in the valley.

“The process still takes place, and it happens immediately after such a weapon is recovered. As far as the trail is concerned, I think to most people who are discernible, the trail is clear. However, I do not want to comment on that, as it falls under the specific field of our intelligence agencies, and I believe they will be able to provide more information about where these weapons are originating from and how they are finding their way into the hands of people who are inimical to our country,” he said.

Lt Gen Ghai said as for the process of documenting these weapons and informing those who need to know about them, “that is definitely continuing, and I can definitely authenticate that”.

Security forces have recovered M4 carbine assault rifles from terrorists killed in encounters in Jammu and Kashmir. The weapons left behind by the US Army after their withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 appear to have reached the terrorists through Pakistan handlers.

The M4 carbine rifles, designed and developed in the 1980s, have been extensively used by NATO and reportedly by several militaries, including Pakistani special forces and the Special Security Unit of the Sindh Police.

These rifles have been employed in numerous conflicts worldwide, such as the Syrian civil war, Iraqi civil war, Yemeni civil war, Colombian conflict, Kosovo war, and the Iraq and Afghanistan wars following 9/11. The increased maneuverability of the M4 carbine makes it a favoured choice among military forces.