In images spread on social media by Islamists, soldiers are seen with a high-level complete equipment: weapons of war, bulletproof helmets and vests, balaclavas, night vision goggles and tactical radio.
His image has little to do with that of the Taliban fighters in turbans and sitting in the “pick-ups.” The “Badri 313” unit, a component of the special forces of the fundamentalists, is a symbol of the sophistication of the new regime.
In images spread on social media by Islamists, soldiers are seen with a high-level complete equipment: weapons of war, bulletproof helmets and vests, balaclavas, night vision goggles and tactical radio.
They are the military of the “Badri 313”, integrated into other special forces of the new regime. Its name comes from the Battle of Badr, 1,400 years ago, during which the Prophet defeated with only 313 soldiers.
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Although probably not equivalent to Western special forces, its members are “more effective than the ‘standard Taliban’ and certainly more so than the troops of the Afghan national army in recent weeks,” an arms expert explains ironically. which is called Obscura caliber on Twitter.
“Propaganda”
“They were used in the campaign against the Islamic State group between 2017 and 2020,” he told AFP. “Historically, they intervene against hard peels.”
According to this expert, and also for Jane ‘s specialized magazine, its numbers are estimated at several thousand, at most. It brings together “probably some of Afghanistan’s best-trained and best-equipped fighters,” said Matt Henman, head of Jane’s terrorism and insurgency section.
“We may think there is a bit of sensationalism in the propaganda” surrounding it, he notes, but it is “very likely that Pakistan has provided at least one training embryo.”
The “Badri 313” is integrated into other special forces of the new regime. Its name comes from the Battle of Badr, 1,400 years ago, during which the Prophet defeated with only 313 soldiers. Photo: AFP
Symbols of a military formation that the Taliban did not have 20 years ago, members of the “Badri 313” “demonstrated their effectiveness on the battlefield,” says Bill Roggio, editor-in-chief of Long War. Journal (LWJ), American magazine specializing in the war on terror.
“We have been able to see during the final offensive, since May, that the Taliban special forces were central in the capture of Afghanistan,” he adds, without ruling out but a possible exaggeration of the facts.
For several days, the unit has been in charge of security around Kabul airport, in front of US forces.
Haqqani red
The unit even allowed itself to make a joke by spreading an image of its soldiers raising the white flag of the Taliban, as a recreation of the famous photograph of American fighters at the Battle of Iwo Jima, Japan, in the Second World War. World War.
In addition to its operational efficiency, the “Badri 313” unit is the object of powerful political interests.
It is closely linked to the Haqqani Network, an organization considered terrorist by the United States but with significant weight among the Taliban. Two of its representatives are attending negotiations on the new government in Kabul.
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Unit 313 represents “the combination of the Taliban’s military training for years and the Haqqani network’s efforts to professionalize the Afghan military institution,” Bill Roggio notes.
Its role should remain central to the regime.
The “Badri 313” is “a symbol of the Taliban’s sophistication and commitment to achieving their goals,” Dark Caliber estimates.
It is above all a reflection of his progress in military matters. The country has been at war for four decades and has learned a lot since the 1979 Soviet invasion.
“We have seen a remarkable professionalization of the Taliban since the mid-2000s,” confirms Gilles Dorronsoro, a professor of political science at the University of Paris.
“The war they are waging is not at all what their parents did against the Russians. They have learned on the ground and are very good technically,” he insists.
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