By Ankit Panda
The Pakistani military has used an indigenously designed drone to strike terrorists on its own soil.
Pakistan’s military has, for the first time, used a remotely piloted aircraft (RPA, or “drone”) to strike at terrorists on its own soil. Three suspected terrorists were confirmed to have been killed with the use of a NESCOM Burraq drone, an indigenous Pakistani-designed and built system introduced into Pakistan’s Air Force in 2013.
General Asim Bawjal, the director-general for Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations, confirmed the strike via Twitter: “1st ever use of Pak made Burraq Drone today. Hit a terrorist compound in Shawal Valley killing 3 high profile terrorists.Details follow,” he noted early on Monday morning. The Pakistani army has received few other details regarding the strike as of this writing, including the identities and affiliations of the “high profile” targets.
The use of drones by U.S. forces has been a source of controversy in Pakistan, leading to widespread aversion against U.S. military operations in Pakistan airspace and against the use of drones themselves. The use of drones by the Pakistani Air Force to strike at terrorists and militants along the country’s porous border with Afghanistan could stoke additional controversy and possibly drive further radicalization in the region. The United States, a Pakistani ally, has refused to transfer its drones to Pakistan amid fears that the technology could find its way from Rawalpindi’s inventory to U.S. adversaries.
Read the full story at The Diplomat