Sahel : Having suffered heavy casualties against Barkhane,jihadists seek to acquire drones

[Vergennes]

As in previous weeks, the Barkhane force maintained its effort against the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara [EIGS] katibas established in the so-called "three borders" zone, that is to say in a region located on the borders of Mali. , Niger and Burkina Faso.

Thus, last week, the Mirage 2000D and the Reaper MQ-9 Reaper drones, now armed, targeted terrorist armed groups [GAT] three times [on February 19, 22 and 24, note]. These strikes made it possible to destroy a logistic plot as well as their camps ... And to "neutralize" around twenty jihadists.

The carrying out of these strikes was based on an extremely meticulous and rigorous work of intelligence, by multiplying the intelligence sensors and their action over time, which made it possible to precisely locate several refuge zones sheltering terrorists, in a region remote from Liptako known to be an Islamic State predation area in the greater Sahara, "said the General Staff of the Armed Forces [EMA].

On the ground, the légionnaires of the tactical groups [GTD] Altor [2nd REP] and Centurion [2nd REI / 1st REC] were not idle ...

Indeed, operating for a month in the Niger Liptako alongside the Niger armed forces, GTD 3 "Altor" neutralized "several terrorists" and seized "logistical resources and war material," said the EMA. But one of these takes has enough to confirm the fears expressed a few months ago by General François Lecointre, the Chief of the Defense Staff [CEMA], about the disposition of terrorists to use so-called technologies "Leveling".

On February 14, during an extensive search operation, GTD Altor discovered several camps "unoccupied" by the jihadists. And, according to the EMA, during the searches, war material was seized in large quantities, including ammunition, elements making it possible to manufacture improvised explosive devices [IED], radios and ... drones .

Unless mistaken, this is the first time that the EMA has mentioned the discovery of drones in a jihadist camp in one of its "situation points".

Last fall, General Lecointre had said he feared the implementation of such devices by jihadists active in the Sahelo-Saharan strip, like those of the Islamic State [IS or Daesh] which, in the Levant, are used to using them for their operations, both for spotting and launching attacks.

"The various threats thus implemented are being implemented using increasingly" leveling "technologies. […] The fact that these technologies are used more and more frequently leads us to review our means of defense and protection. In addition to this, the technology used today in a potential asymmetric conflict […] could certainly be used tomorrow by Daesh, by the Islamic State in the greater Sahara or by JNIM against our installations in the Sahel. This is very worrying, "CEMA told MPs of the Foreign Affairs committee.

In a previous hearing, General Lecointre had estimated that the "drone phenomenon [is] a game-changer, not much against armored vehicles" but "very seriously against tactical or mobile positions"

However, the chief of staff does not say whether the drones found by the légionnaires could carry ammunition or be trapped, like those used by jihadists in Iraq and Syria.

http://www.opex360.com/2020/02/27/s...es-jihadistes-cherchent-a-se-doter-de-drones/

@Nilgiri

 

[Nilgiri]

On February 14, during an extensive search operation, GTD Altor discovered several camps "unoccupied" by the jihadists. And, according to the EMA, during the searches, war material was seized in large quantities, including ammunition, elements making it possible to manufacture improvised explosive devices [IED], radios and ... drones .

Unless mistaken, this is the first time that the EMA has mentioned the discovery of drones in a jihadist camp in one of its "situation points".

It was question of when, not if I feel. Drones have really proliferated these days.

They will have to analyse what is/was the (important) support infra present for these drones though to scale their genuine threat.