Captured AWOL Sergeant In Southern Kazakhstan Stole Whole Arsenal Of Weapons - Authorities

Captured AWOL Sergeant in Southern Kazakhstan Stole Whole Arsenal of Weapons - Authorities

A sergeant who went on absence without leave from a military facility in southern Kazakhstan, and was caught on the same day, stole a whole arsenal of weapons from the unit, the country's Interior Ministry said in a statement on Friday

ALMATY (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st February, 2020) A sergeant who went on absence without leave from a military facility in southern Kazakhstan, and was caught on the same day, stole a whole arsenal of weapons from the unit, the country's Interior Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

On Thursday, the Kazakh Defense Ministry said that Sgt. Balgynbai, serving under contract, left an air defense military facility near the city of Shymkent while on duty, and some firearms were reported missing from the facility. The military and police were participating in an operation to find the sergeant and ensure security in the area. Later that day, the country's interior ministry said it had detained the deserter.

On Friday, the ministry's press service said that Sgt. Balgynbai was detained in Almaty.

"A soldier, 25-year-old Abylay Balgynbai, who voluntarily left ... a military unit with a whole arsenal of weapons was detained in Almaty," the statement said, without specifying the number of weapons stolen by the sergeant.

Meanwhile, the Kazakh Vremya newspaper reported, citing the official report, that the serviceman, who was on alert, quietly pulled out the keys to the arsenal, turned off the alarm and removed 30 AK-74 assault rifles, 27 Makarov pistols, one traumatic pistol PM from the territory of the military unit, as well as 420 machine guns and 48 handgun cartridges.

A pre-trial investigation into the incident has been launched, according to the ministry.