Islamabad, Pakistan – Pakistani security sources reported that the Pakistani Taliban movement has succeeded in acquiring weapons designed to counter drones,
This is a remarkable development that reflects a qualitative escalation
in the capabilities of armed groups in northwestern Pakistan.
This coincides with the Pakistani army intensifying its air operations against it.
According to the sources cited by the “Afghanistan International” agency,
the Pakistani Taliban, linked to the “Ittehad al-Mujahideen” group belonging to Hafiz Gul Bahadur,
It now possesses anti-drone systems, but there is no clarity regarding
the source of these weapons or how the movement obtained them.
Countering the drone threat
This comes after the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Sohail Afridi,
Police forces in the Bannu region had previously been supplied with similar weapons to counter the drone threat.
It remains unclear whether these weapons were leaked from Pakistani police depots to the armed movement.
Or were they purchased directly through other channels?
So far, no official comment has been issued by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government officials in response to these questions.
A previous investigative report by Afghanistan International had indicated that the Pakistani army’s escalation
To use airstrikes and drones against the Pakistani Taliban,
This prompted these groups to seek new ways to counter air superiority.
This includes creating something resembling a field defense umbrella.
Anti-drone weapons
According to the report, armed groups are increasingly relying on low-cost commercial drones.
Whether for reconnaissance or attack purposes, in an attempt to balance the scales of confrontation with the regular forces.
Last July, sources revealed to the same website that the first drone attack had been carried out.
This was done by a group affiliated with Hafiz Gul Bahadur in the Mir Ali area of North Waziristan.
Another attempt was also thwarted on July 19 in the Mirian security area of Bannu district,
before it could be carried out by Pakistani forces.
Questions remain about the effectiveness of anti-drone weapons in the possession of the police or armed groups.
And whether it is capable of shooting down advanced aircraft,
or whether its mission is limited to disabling the primitive aircraft used by the Pakistani Taliban?
