Local sources say that the Taliban have shot down a reconnaissance drone while monitoring the area around the group’s 7th Brigade in Garmser district of Helmand province.
According to the sources, the unmanned aircraft crashed on Thursday after coming under fire from Taliban forces while flying over the 7th Brigade.
It has not yet been officially established which country the drone belonged to. However, media outlets close to the Taliban have reported that the aircraft was operated by Pakistan.
The drone was reportedly shot down amid reports of Pakistani military airstrikes on parts of Kandahar, Paktia, and Khost provinces the previous night.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban’s spokesperson, said that four civilians were killed in the airstrikes. He described the attacks as “blatant aggression” and warned that the Taliban would respond against the Pakistani military “at an appropriate time.”
Responding to Pakistan’s claim that there had been an attempt to fly drones from Afghanistan into Pakistan, Mujahid said that such claims had been made to justify the airstrikes.
The Taliban have not yet officially commented on the reported downing of the drone in Garmser, Helmand.
writer:Saeed Sameer
