Algeria has confiscated 1000s of weapons smuggled from Libya since Gaddafi's fall

The Algerian security forces have confiscated thousands of weapons and their ammunition smuggled from Libya during the past five years, it has been revealed. Former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was killed by rebel forces in October 2011.

According to a security source speaking to Al-Khabar news online on Monday, Algerian army units have seized no less than 4,000 weapons of various sizes. Around 1,000 of them were confiscated in the first six months of this year. Data available from the government identifies the security officers involved as part of a paramilitary group working with the army in the fight against smuggling; “dozens of weapons” are confiscated every six months.

The list of weapons seized includes Kalashnikov assault rifles as well as pistols of various kinds, rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine-guns.