Czech Republic to donate weapons, helicopters to Afghanistan

The Defence Ministry is to donate a large number of weapons to the government of Afghanistan, the Czech daily Pravo has reported. According to the newspaper, the weapons - 20,000 submachine guns and 650 machine guns - are valued at more than 30 million Czech crowns (the equivalent of 1.4 million US dollars). The Defence Ministry said the weapons were surplus to their requirements, adding that the donation was part of international efforts to bring stability to Afghanistan. The guns will be followed by the delivery of 12 transport and combat helicopters.