Badri 313 unit: Taliban showcase ‘particular forces’ in propaganda blitz

The Taliban has been displaying off its personal “special forces” on social media, troopers in new uniforms outfitted with looted American tools who distinction sharply with the picture of the standard Afghan rebel.

Pictures and movies of fighters within the so-called “Badri 313” unit have been posted on-line for propaganda functions to underline how the Taliban have higher outfitted and educated males at their disposal than up to now, specialists say.The troopers are proven in uniforms, boots, balaclavas and physique armour just like these worn by particular forces all over the world — and in contrast to the shalwar kameez, turban and sandals of the standard Taliban fighter.ALSO READ | Afghanistan’s final free citadel: Panjshir, the land of 5 lions, stands as much as TalibanReasonably than a battered Russian-designed Kalashnikov rifle slung over their shoulder, the boys of Badri 313 maintain new US-made rifles such because the M4, generally with night-vision goggles and superior gunsights.Badri 313 “likely represents some of the best trained and equipped fighters within the Taliban more broadly, although as you would expect there is a degree of sensationalising in propaganda coverage of the unit by the group,” Matt Henman from the Janes defence consultancy advised AFP.A Western weapons professional who writes anonymously on Twitter below the pseudonym of Calibre Obscura mentioned the unit can be no match for Western particular forces, or these of India or Pakistan.But “they are more effective than normal Taliban and certainly more than standard Afghan national army troops from a couple of weeks ago,” he advised AFP.US weaponsNamed after the battle of Badr 1,400 years in the past, when the Prophet Mohammed supposedly vanquished his enemies with solely 313 troopers, the Taliban unit may quantity as much as a number of thousand males, specialists say.The quantity of kit at their disposal is unclear, however a number of footage on-line present jubilant Taliban fighters posing with captured armoured Humvees, plane and weapons deserted by the defeated US-equipped Afghan nationwide military.Experts say probably the most subtle tools, particularly the helicopters, will likely be tough to function and near-impossible to take care of.ALSO READ | Taliban delegation meets resistance forces in Panjshir for negotiations”There is certainly a degree of propaganda, but we saw during the final offensive since May that the Taliban special forces have been critical in the taking over of Afghanistan,” mentioned Bill Roggio, managing editor of the US-based Long War Journal.”When they began to overrun the Afghan forces, they progressively integrated Western supplies. The US in effect armed the Taliban army,” he added.In earlier days, the unit has been in control of safety exterior Kabul worldwide airport, bringing them almost face-to-face with American troops inside who’re overseeing the airlift of 1000’s of civilians.ALSO READ | Former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s brother pledges assist to Taliban, says reportIn a social media put up, Badri 313 troops even mocked their US counterparts by recreating the famed image of American troopers elevating the Stars and Stripes on the island of Iwo Jima in 1945.The Taliban figures in uniforms are seen elevating their black-and-white flag.Haqqani function? Badri 313 can also be seen as having benefited from coaching from the Haqqani community, Afghanistan’s most ruthless and feared militant group which has been accountable for a number of suicide assaults on civilian targets.Mainly based mostly in jap Afghanistan — with alleged bases throughout the border in Pakistan’s northwest — the group has change into extra seen within the Taliban management lately.They have additionally lengthy been suspected of hyperlinks with the Pakistani navy institution — US Admiral Mike Mullen described them as a “veritable arm” of Islamabad’s intelligence in 2011.Pakistan denies the allegations.”There is a strong likelihood of Pakistan having provided at least a vestige of training to the unit,” mentioned Henman from Janes, who specialises in terrorism and insurgencies.ALSO SEE | Taliban burn down amusement park in Afghanistan, reveals new videoGilles Dorronsoro, an professional on Afghanistan on the Sorbonne University in Paris, mentioned the emergence of the brand new Taliban commandoes was half of a bigger development.”We’ve seen a remarkable professionalisation of the Taliban since the middle of the 2000s,” he advised AFP.”The war they are fighting is not the same as the one their parents fought against the Soviets. They’ve learned from the ground and they are very good technically,” he added.