Afghan police  shot dead a bird which had been equipped by the Taliban with an explosive pouch, GPS tracker and detonator.

Alert officers spotted the suspicious bird in the Faryab province in the north of the country, near the border with Turkmenistan.

The bird had several wires protruding from its feathers, a mobile phone detonator and a specially designed 'suicide vest'.

Police were also suspicious about the large bird, because it was not native to the area.

Major General Abdul Nabi Ilham told NBC News that the bird exploded when it was shot and 'suspicious metal stuff' was scattered around.

Ilham added; 'We are gathering all the stuff, but found parts of what looks to be GPS and a small camera.'

The success in Faryab Province comes as the Afghan district police chief in Helmand Province, Ahmadullah Anwari, complained that his officers are suffering from major weapon and equipment shortages.

Anwari said despite his officers facing constant attacks from Taliban insurgents, he can only supply each checkpoint in his district with just three hand grenades.

He said: 'Sometimes up to 200 Taliban attack our checkpoints and if there are no army reinforcements, we lose the fight
'It shames me to say that we don't have enough weapons and equipment. But this is a bitter reality.'

As most foreign combat troops prepare to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014 after 13 years of war, the experiences of Anwari and other police chiefs and army commanders across the country are NATO's biggest worry.

The United States, which provides the bulk of NATO troops in Afghanistan, has poured some $61 billion into training a 350,000-strong security force.

U.S. and Afghan commanders have praised the bravery and effectiveness of local soldiers, police and others in the face of a Taliban onslaught that has killed more than 4,600 Afghan security force members already this year.  

When insurgents attacked a foreign guest house in central Kabul last Thursday, Afghan commandos killed the attackers, but international helicopters and special forces helped in the mop-up operation that lasted hours.

Taliban fighters also entered Camp Bastion, a large base in the southern Helmand province handed over to Afghan troops a month ago by withdrawing U.S. and British forces. It took Afghan soldiers three days to drive the insurgents out.

(dailymail.co.uk)

ANN.Az