In army barracks in Visoko

{gallery}newsletters/10/5/1{/gallery}On September 15, in an army barracks in Visoko, the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in cooperation with the US National Guard from Maryland and the United Nations Development Program, started the process of destroying over 30,000 M16 A1 rifles. The U.S. Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina Patrick Moon, and the NATO Headquarters Sarajevo Commander Brigadier General David Enyeart, supervised the process of destroying this excess of small arms.

In order for a balance in armaments to be reached with the Republika Srpska after the war, the United States of America donated rifles, tanks, armored personnel carriers, howitzers and liaison tools to the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina as part of the “Equip and Train” program. After the armed forces of the two entities were joined, the M16 has become the basic weapon of our infantry. However, professionalization, along with a reduction in the number of soldiers in the armed forces, has resulted in an excess of 30,061 rifles that need to be destroyed.

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We have learned that the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina still retain 46,000 rifles, and the US is donating a quantity of newer, M16 A4 models, under the condition that they are used for the mission in Afghanistan.

Members of the US Armed Forces participated in the destroying of the excess M16 A1 rifles in Visoko, in order to make sure that each piece with an identified serial number was destroyed. Permission for the destruction of the rifles was issued by the United States Government in order for the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina to reduce their small arms supplies. This will also result in the reduction of storage costs for both the USA and the Armed Forces of BiH. The 5.56 mm ammunition for these rifles has not been destroyed, and will instead be kept by our Army, because it can be used for a number of purposes.

Jasna PEKIĆ

Foto: US Embassy Sarajevo