On August 21, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) shot down three DIY suicide unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over the town of Abu Dali in the northern Hama countryside. According to local sources, two other UAVs landed in an empty area near the town without exploding.
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Syrian pro-government activists believe that the UAVs were launched from the opposition-held areas in the northern Hama countryside. The UAVs were likely on their way to strike positions of the SAA and the Tiger Forces around Abu Dali.
The UAVs are made of plastic, wood and use an electrical motor for propulsion. This type of UAVs have been never seen in Syria before. However, the technology used in these UAVs is very similar to the one used in the armed UAVs that have been repeatedly shot down near Hmeimim airbase.
Radical groups such as Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Horas al-Din and the Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP) are likely behind the development and usage of these types of UAVs. This poses a serious security threat as these UAVs are made from off the shelf martials.
