THE newfound confidence of the militants, especially the TTP, has a lot to do with the modern weapons systems and technology that they have recently acquired.
The main source of this modern technology and high-caliber weapons is the ammunition left behind by the US troops when they left Afghanistan in a hurry. These weapons have been supplied to the TTP by the Afghan Taliban. Besides weapons like M-4s and M-16s, in front of which even our G-3 rifles fall short, night vision and thermal capabilities make their snipers very deadly against our security forces.
drone technology recently mastered by the militants has also put our security forces on the back foot in some of our heavily attacked districts like Bannu. For the last few months, the police have faced commercially available low-cost drones weaponized by militants to attack them. To use these drones, a trained workforce is required and thus the presence of trained foreign fighters cannot be ruled out because of their special expertise in this field. For months, police in the Southern Bannu district have faced armed quadcopter sorties on police stations and posts. Most of the attacks have been made by low-cost drones weaponized by the militants. Police in Bannu said that they have faced more than two hundred such attacks since June.
The introduction of drone warfare by the TTP against Pakistani forces is a truly game-changing movement in the decades-long war. The conflict with terror has claimed thousands of Pakistani lives, both uniformed and civilian. Besides casualties, hundreds of thousands of civilians have been uprooted and displaced. In the beginning, the police and paramilitary forces were simply unprepared for the quadcopters modified to drop munitions on their targets. These quadcopters are also equipped with thermal imaging and are used both for surveillance and dropping ammunition. Militants have also proved to be quite savvy in using technology to their advantage. They frequently change the frequencies on which their drones operate in order to stay one step ahead of jammers deployed by security forces.
The only answer to the drone attacks available to our police was to put up a canopy over their installations to obstruct the weaponized drone before impact. Bannu Additional Inspector General of Police, AIG Sajjad Khan, said, “We had to position snipers on rooftops to shoot down any approaching object.” For about two decades until 2021, the Pakistani army and security agencies had an edge over the militants in terms of weapons and battlefield tactics for the police; however, it was largely an even battle as both the police and the militants generally used AK–47 rifles.
The equation changed when the US, frustrated by the seemingly unending war in Afghanistan, left in a hurry, leaving behind $7.1 billion worth of military equipment and other defense gadgets. The equipment soon reached the hands of the TTP through the courtesy of the Afghan Taliban government. The equipment included weapons with night vision and thermal capabilities, having long-range striking capabilities. TTP snipers could target and kill our forces from a distance of about 1,500 meters or more. Steel-core 5.56-millimeter ammunition could penetrate bulletproof vests and helmets. Even our G-3 rifles could not match the American M-4s and M-16s in range and effectiveness.
Eventually, our forces started a series of deliberations and debriefings as our casualties on the battlefield started mounting. “We were very late in adopting new technology,” said IG KP Zulfiqar Hameed. He further acknowledged that his men were not only short on modern weapons but also trained manpower to use these latest weapons. The presence of cutting-edge weapons was found not only in KP but in Balochistan also. At the time of the attack on Jaffar Express, there was news of a high-caliber American rifle abandoned by the separatist on the site. Attacks in both KP and Balochistan have become more deadly, including the use of the latest and more lethal technology and the presence of trained operators, most probably foreigners, especially Afghan war veterans.
Soon after deliberations in our high command, efforts to buy an assortment of weapons from the international market began. The defense equipment purchased so far includes American M-16s, M-24 sniper rifles, M-249 machine guns, light sniper rifles (LSA), thermal weapon sights and anti-drone guns. Long-range surveillance and assault drones and high-frequency jammers to shield armored vehicles are also being acquired. Personnel are also being trained in marksmanship and special operational teams (SOT) are being formed at the divisional and district levels. They would be armed and equipped with the latest weapons to confront the terrorists. These modern weapons are already having an effect. In Bannu, the police say they have faced fewer quadcopter attacks on their police stations. Similarly, drone and nocturnal attacks by the militants have decreased, as they realize that the police have night vision and anti-drone capabilities.
A fact supporting the acquisition of modern technology by various militant groups based in Afghanistan can also be established by the fact that three Chinese workers were killed by a drone attack from Afghanistan. Pakistan’s Foreign Office has called this attack “a stark reminder of the gravity of the threat emanating from Afghanistan.” Regional experts believe that one of the terrorist networks living under Afghan protection is responsible for this attack. The anti-terrorist crusade by our brave forces seems to be a long-haul battle of nerves. Our forces have to constantly upgrade their equipment, training and strategy to stay on top of the terrorist threat. Long-term planning and perseverance are required to overcome this complicated and foreign-supported terrorist conflict.
—The writer, based in Islamabad, is a former Health Minister of KP.
