PRESS RELEASE HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES FORCES AFGHANISTAN Kabul, Afghanistan Phone: [phone]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 3, 2009

Release Number 20090302-01

Note: For releases including photos, photos and cutlines appear within the attached release document; the individual photos are available upon request (no high resolution photos are available).

Afghans participate in SRP netting more than 300 munitions

KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghan citizens took advantage of the Small Rewards Program (SRP) by turning in two large caches of munitions to Afghan National Security forces (ANSF) and Coalition forces in Shindand district, Herat Province, Jan. 28-29.

Local villagers turned-in weapons totaling more than 300 pieces of munitions they had removed from a large cache, Jan. 28. The cache included rocket propelled grenade rounds, artillery shells and nearly 200 hand grenades.

The next day, villagers delivered additional munitions from a different cache. This cache included nearly 100 artillery shells.

Afghan citizens receive compensation for their efforts through the SRP when they facilitate the recovery and turn-in of armament caches. The SRP encourages and compensates Afghan citizens for their efforts to free the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan of weapons used by insurgents and foreign fighters.

“These citizens have taken an active role in improving the security and stability within their villages by facilitating the recovery of munitions caches,” said Lt. Col. Fred Helmer, a U.S. Forces Afghanistan spokesperson. “This is a clear message that Afghans are committed to thwarting insurgent activity in this country.”

-30-

Cutlines:

Note: For releases including photos, photos and cutlines appear within the attached release document; the individual photos are available upon request (no high resolution photos are available).

20090203-01 Dept. of Defense (Released): An Afghan villager brought this munitions cache to Coalition forces for destruction: the total cache turned-in on January 28, included, 50 rounds of 40-mm Russian projectile grenades, 187 hand grenades, 4 rocket propelled grenades and two 105 mm artillery shells. All munitions were brought in under the Small Rewards Program where Afghans are rewarded for leading Afghan and Coalition forces to weapons caches or for bringing the weapons in. The munitions were turned into the forces in Shindand district, Herat Province, Jan. 28.

20090203-02 Dept. of Defense (Released): A close-up of one of the fifty 40-mm projectile grenades that were turned into Coalition forces under the Small Rewards Program, which rewards Afghans for turning in weapons. The cache was turned into Afghan National Security forces and Coalition forces in Shindand district, Herat Province, Jan. 28.

20090203-03 Dept. of Defense (Released): Pictured here is a weapons cache, composed of 99 Russian artillery rounds. The ammunition was turned in to Afghan National Security forces and Coalition forces by an Afghan villager in Shindand district, Herat Province, Jan. 28.

-30-

United States Forces Afghanistan's mission, in coordination with NATO's International Security Assistance Force, is to conduct operations to defeat terrorist networks and insurgents by developing effective governance and building the Afghan National Security Force. Effective security throughout the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan facilitates continued regional stability and increases economic development for the people of Afghanistan.

Contact Information - US Forces Afghanistan Public Affairs Office

Tel [phone] or cell phone [phone]

[e-mail]

Afghanistan

USFOR

---