Syria becomes laboratory for drones – Rights organization
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – The Syrian war that has been ongoing for over a decade, has provided a laboratory for drones used by countries, militants and armed groups, a Dutch rights organization said on Tuesday.
Pax for Peace reported, “Our research shows that at least 39 different types of military drones originating from six different countries have been used in the Syrian war.”
The report said that the states and non-state armed groups have tested different new types of drones and explored how their usage can improve military tactics and strategies.
Iran, Israel, Russia, Turkey, the US and the Syrian government forces have all benefited from drone technology in Syria, which has led to mastering the technologies to be used in other conflicts, according to the report.
The drones “provide both states and nonstate actors with new methods of using lethal force,” the report said.
“Over the last decade, upgraded drones in the Syrian skies have repeatedly shown how military actors have been through a learning process and enhanced their knowledge of the design, production and use of drones,” it added.
In 2016, Turkey began deploying military drones in northern Syria to help Ankara and Turkish-backed armed Syrian opposition factions, also known as Syrian National Army (SNA), to control territory along the border strip.
The report added that Turkey started exporting Bayraktar TB-2s to non-Western countries, as “the TB2 started patrolling the skies of Turkey and Syria fully armed with domestically produced ammunition during Operation Euphrates Shield.”
“The TB-2 became Turkey’s best-known combat drone, playing a key role in the conflicts in Libya, Nagorno-Karabakh, Ethiopia and most recently in Ukraine,” according to the report.
The organization said that more than 60 Turkish drone strikes hit areas in northern Syria between January and September.
The organization’s report noted that Syria has proven to be the best drone laboratory for Russia, allowing Moscow to evaluate drones for its partners and test its own combat aircraft and weapons.
“Iran has supplied drones to Syrian armed forces from the start of the Syrian war and to Hezbollah since 2004,” the report added.
“Iran also began providing independent drone capabilities to various Iranian-backed militias in Syria, in the form of reconnaissance or armed drones, the parts and expertise to manufacture copies locally, and drone training programmers,” according to the organization.
The report revealed that fighting in Syria has also seen civilian drones diverted for military use by militant groups such as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, formerly al-Nusra Front) which controls much of northwestern Syria, and the Islamic State organization (ISIS).