[THREAD] #Balochistan: The BLA released 2 long videos on their attack in Marwaar, #Bolan, on May 31st 2021. This was against a large Pakistani Frontier Corps post and involved an attack team of around 30+ insurgents. Although the attack was typical, it was larger than usual.

1/
BLA fighters went through detailed planning including using a model to plan movements, point out guard towers, local terrain, etc. Seems that the planning took place fairly far away from FC post, with the fighters then travelling. Note AKs, Zastava M84, PG-7V, PSL, SVD, etc.

2/
We're given GPS co-ords (29.96225530387559, 67.4549640088277 (I think)) so if anyone has any nice sat pics pre and prior to the raid I'd be interested. Note they're aware of the proximity to air assets, and hence possible length of time for support to arrive (it doesn't)

3/
The attack starts in a fairly conventional manner, with aimed fire from PSL/SVD DMR, scoped M16A4, etc. The goal here seems to take defenders out in the open by surprise. BLA fighter(s) then open fire with machine guns, including the M249 seen here.

4/
Throughout the next ~25 minutes of footage, the BLA fighters move closer to the walls of the large outpost, usually utilising AKM/Type 56 rifles at effective ranges. The outpost itself is hit with RPG fire- most likely OG-7V/OGi-7MA & PG-7V/T69-1 projectiles.

5/
Continues for a long while as fighters get close enough to engage in close combat with the FC inside the base, who are performing better than previous occasions. Large quantities of RPGs are still used, and grenades. At least 1 BLA fighter is killed in CQB over the walls.

6/
FC men, realising the situation is becoming difficult, w/ at least 15 BLA fighters on different sides of the base, mostly withdraw to better protected guard posts and buildings inside. BLA fighters begin to get inside the base & use OG-7V/nades at dangerously close ranges.

7/
At least one BLA marksmen using the popular M16A4 moves up to the walls of the base and begins firing at FC inside. BLA fighters continue with CQ throughout the base, engaging in quite intense fighting amongst the small structures. More BLA die.

8/
As the tide fully turns in favour of the insurgents, fighting continues and they move throughout the whole base, then strip it of weapons and materiel, as already recorded below 👇

9/

They then burn the whole base, and capture at least one FC member, who appears to be wounded. This whole fight appears to have taken hours and it's surprising that Pakistani Air support (or even ground) didn't arrive, which could have foiled the attack to a degree.

10/
Afterwards, the insurgents show off a captured man (Which is a little uncommon locally). Note shorted AK and AKM with UBGL, plus PSL DMR. Oh, and BLA fighter with a captured G3A3. Note comms in hand.

11/
Some conclusions, atho am *not* a tactics person. It's apparant that the BLA whilst lacking some basic training are also adept at effectively targeting FC posts, w/ this attack being one of the larger seen for quite a while. They bring the kit (MG, RPG) they need & no more.

12/
A little more defenses and some additional support for the FC post could have probably have averted this situation, in which a claimed 25 militiamen died. The weapons mix we see is quite typical for the area, with BLA marksmen again a key element.

[END]
cc @Natsecjeff @MENA_Conflict @COIN_V2 @oryxspioenkop @AbraxasSpa etc etc.

(Oh, and if you like threads like this: ko-fi.com/CalibreObscura 🐵)

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More from @CalibreObscura

6 Aug
#Lebanon Really good image of a covert Hezbollah 122mm MRL used to fire rockets from #Hasbaya into Israel. It's a rather compact 32-tube launcher hidden in a civilian truck, w/ cloth cover. Probably hydraulically raised. Hezb a step above militia factions in Iraq, though similar. Image
Some video from the scene; seems the vehicle was found/intercepted after the rockets (10-15 apparently) were fired into the Golan. You can see that 11 rockets remained unfired, Hezb possibly intending to fire again after relocation.

📽via @putintintin1

@putintintin1 The video was removed, but here's another source of the same thing.

Read 4 tweets
20 Jul
#Afghanistan: IS K released a new video, 4th in the ISIS release series ("Makers of Epic Battles"). Here's a hopefully decent breakdown.

1/
Much of the video focuses on two main themes. First, the urban/semi-urban attacks against the ANA, ANP and others in Jalalabad and Kabul. To this end we see a lot of close in attacks with small arms, IEDs, 107mm etc. They're pretty operationally effective, but nothing new.

2/
Needless to say, IS K is rather operationally capable in said areas, as well as more broadly across Afghanistan (Kunar, etc). Quite interesting to see attacks carried out from Tuktuks, which I have read of being used by urban cells. Standard small arms (AKs, handguns etc)

3/
Read 8 tweets
19 Jul
#Idlib: Ansar al Tawhid released a new video about their use of artillery, repurposed tank guns, mortars, IRAMs and more against the SAA.

The video is pretty large and combines a lot of different systems, so I will go over them part by part.

1/
The group is heavily leaning into it's role as artillery specialists. First sup, we get a really good view at their use of truck-mounted 115m U-5TS main guns, which have been extracted from T-62 tanks. They only have a few of these trucks, and only 2 different ones are seen.

2/
They show multiple strikes on target, usually with HE-FRAG projectiles. The "Ansar-1" usually seem to be used in direct fire mode- although they do appear to be used like a conventional howitzer occasionally.

3/
Read 16 tweets
26 Jun
#Nigeria IS West Africa released new video, covering JAS (Jamā'at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da'wah wa'l-Jihād) fighters pledging allegience (bay'ah) to IS & the Caliph, joining ISWA, making statements to local+wider communities, & lastly fighting with ISWA against NA near Firgi, Bama.
1/
Whilst most of my followers aren't here for the intra-jihadi drama, this video is actually very significant because it shows JAS fighters, previously loyal to the infamous Abubakar Shekau (Split frm ISWA in 2016) who despite his crazy appearance was quite effective.

(Old pic)
2/
Full details of Shekau's demise & "death" are fairly unclear; 1 thing is clear; quantities of his fighters have joined ISWA & have started operations under WA banner (SE. Borno); given they never regarded themselves as leaving IS this gets interesting.
3/
Read 19 tweets
24 Jun
#Nigeria: Another photoset from an ISWA attack against police and NGO in Gujba, S. of Damaturu, #Yobe.

I will note some aspects of value below 👇

(In this image we see AKM & RPG-7 with Bulgarian OG-7V/OGi-7MA captured from the Nigerian army; standard weapons)

1/
ISIS fighters burned construction equipment and facilities, a continuation of their campaign. They also killed at least 2 police officers, I won't show their bodies of course.

2/
They captured 4 AKs and their magazines; to be precise 3x Type 56-2 and 1x AKM pattern rifle with FAB Defense parts.

3/
Read 5 tweets
23 Jun
#Nigeria: ISWA images from a rather large attack in Chobol, just NW of Maiduguri, against the NA.

Attackers can be seen with standard weapons (RPG-7 w/ OG-7V, AKM/S, Type 56 variants, Type 88 HMG, etc. Many are young.

However, it's the capture that's more notable...

1/ ImageImageImageImage
This includes the capture and burning of at least 1 DICON Ezugwu MRAP (After the HMG in the turret was stripped), looking rather new.

2/ ImageImageImage
We also see at least three (perhaps four) NA vehicles, which were also stripped of their mounted HMG. As you can see, once again one of the vehicles is so new it has it's emissions sheet still attached to the window.

3/ ImageImageImage
Read 4 tweets

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