RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan (RFA) has learned that the going rate for an AK-47 assault rifles has increased dramatically in northern Afghanistan.
The recent rise -- from $450 to $650 for a Kalashnikov -- appears to be linked to mounting security concerns among Afghans, according to RFA.
Most AK-47s on the Afghan market reportedly come from Russia, although there are some reports that suggest some Kalashnikovs seized from Taliban militants and taken to Kabul are being shipped to the north for sale.
Afghan government officials have declined to comment on the development.
-- RFE/RL Central Newsroom